Ex-Con Kills Two, Injures One In Queens Shooting Spree

Victim Keith Murrell, who was fatally shot yesterday afternoon (Facebook)

A paranoid ex-con fatally shot his girlfriend's teenage son, then killed one person and injured another on a Q111 NYC Transit bus in Queens during a 15 minute shooting spree yesterday afternoon. According to the News, Damel Burton, 34, told cops the bus shooting occurred because he believed the commuters were plotting against him. “People on the bus were on the phone and he thought they were talking about him,” a police source said.

Police say the spree began when Burton, who spent seven years in prison for armed robbery, got into an argument with 18-year-old Keith Murrell and shot him in the chest in the Jamaica, Queens apartment they shared with Sheen Tucker, Murrell’s mother and Burton's girlfriend. Keith was able to leap out the window of his room and run to a nearby Royal Fried Chicken store to get help. He collapsed outside the chicken joint and later died at Jamaica Hospital. “I had to settle a beef,” Burton later told cops of that shooting.

Burton meanwhile got on the Q111 NYC Transit bus less than 15 minutes after that shooting, where he became increasingly unhinged. He randomly shot commuter Marvin Gikes, 36, in the back of the head—Gikes collapsed on the bus’ rear steps and died. Then he shot commuter Jojuan Lipsey, 29, in the face as passengers started screaming. WItnesses described the scene as "pandemonium" and "crazy" to the Post.

"What I saw was a sea of people young and old running in one direction," one witness told NY1. Then I saw a number of people going away from the danger. One young woman was very upset. She was on her cell phone and she looked at me and said two people got shot."

Lipsey, a state-employed counselor for developmentally disabled patients, survived the shooting, which hit his mouth. Burton ran off the bus, was caught less than a block away by police still carrying a semi-automatic 9-mm. Ruger pistol. He has been charged with second-degree murder, gun possession and assault.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Ben Yakas in News on December 3, 2011 2:20 PM

Comments [rss]

HJaySimpson

Post a nice large slightly menacing picture of the VICTIM, with the words ex-con next to them.
Perfect.

HJaySimpson

this would of been a better picture:
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/l...

inose

"Police say the spree began when Burton, who a seven-year prison stint for armed robbery, got into an argument with 18-year-old Keith Murrell and shot him in the chest in the apartment they shared with Sheen Tucker, Murrell’s mother and Burton's girlfriend, on Foch Blvd."

Not trying to be a know it all but notice a lot of errors in the writing on this website. The clause after the first comma makes no sense whatsoever. The writing on the whole site has a casual tone and I get that you want to blast things out quickly, but there is no reason to not proofread.

Either way this story is f'd up

Jessicka Linn

That kind of paranoia becoming a full on delusion and
actually being unleashed on the public resulting in such violence is frightening... Kind of like an acid trip gone completely wrong in every horrifying way. Oh btw the fried chicken ba dum tish was classic and tasteful it really hooked me into the article... great writing!

J_Temperance

Exactly sherlock.

Rocknrope

Did he at least get to have some chicken before he dieded?

edgie168

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Rocknrope

Wow, I was completely unfamiliar with that meme. And it started in 2005? I feel so out of the loop.

the4thcoming

No. Because your mom hid it in her arse

Rocknrope

That wouldn't make it taste very good afterwards, but it's Royal, so who knows.

LICnative

How hard up do you have to be for male companionship that you choose to move a mentally ill, ex convict into the home you share with your children?

Good thinking Mom!

spincter

u dont know where she comin from, u aint never gonn understand

"Tim Osman"

I'm not a fan of blaming a victim but I have to agree with you here

jisnotused

Royal Fried Chicken

Freddi BuBu

I personally don't think it's fair to post that particular picture of the victim - or is it just me?

izzy isou

Until I read the caption, I thought he was the shooter.

cyncity.org

I agree 100%.

Non¢

Get this person the help he needs...a bullet to the head. RIP to the victims.

spincter

sorry. hitler's not answering his phone. in the meantime we'll just put this crazy motherfcuker in jail and keep him alive, with taxpayer money.