Mastic Man Pleads Not Guilty In Fatal Reservation Shooting: Report

MASTIC, NY — A Mastic man has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a longtime acquaintance outside his home on the Poospatuck Indian Reservation earlier this month, Newsday reported.

James Brown, 43, shot Umar Elquhir, 45, nine times outside his home on Nov. 7, prosecutors said, adding that Elquhir had argued there with Brown earlier in the day, and it escalated into two brawls, with Elquhir leaving and then coming back to the home hours later.

Brown's attorney Steven Politi said that in self defense, his client open-fired on Elquhir, who was known as a brutally violent man in the neighborhood, and he believed Elqhuir had come back to kill him, according to Newsday.

Patch has reached out to Politi for comment.

Brown has been ordered held without bail pending his next court appearance tomorrow, court records show.

Elquhir, of North Bellport, was taken to Long Island Community Hospital in East Patchogue where he was pronounced dead, Suffolk police said.

Detectives are investigating why he was at the home, police previously told Patch.

A house and vehicle were also shot on Coventry Avenue in Mastic at around 1 a.m. the next morning, but no one was injured, police said, adding that it was not immediately clear if the shooter or shooters were on foot or in a car.

It is under investigation whether both shootings are related, police said.

Detectives are asking anyone with information about Elquhir's death to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392 or Crime Stoppers, a confidential police hotline, at 1-800-220-TIPS.

All calls will be kept confidential.