Around 2:30 a.m. this morning, a shooting broke out at 144th Street and Lenox Avenue, leaving one man dead and two civilians and two police officers injured. The Daily News reports, "Witnesses said the incident unfolded after cops tried to disperse 500 people attending a barbecue held in memory of a recent slaying victim." Apparently two men got into a fight; what happened next is still under investigation. more ›

The Department of Transportation announced that Central Park's West Drive will be car free until 8AM starting on Monday, August 6. Per the DOT's press release, via Streetsblog:

Beginning Monday, August 6th, the West Drive of Central Park between Lenox Avenue and the 7th Avenue Exit will be closed to motor vehicles for an additional hour (7-8am) during the morning peak period. Currently, the West Drive is open to motor vehicles between the hours of 7-10am and operates as an HOV 2+ only roadway. With this change, the West Drive will be open to motor vehicles between the hours of 8-10am only and will continue to operate as an HOV 2+ roadway. This additional hour of closure of the West Drive to motor vehicles provides an additional hour of conflict-free recreational use during the early morning hours.

Yesterday afternoon, an apartment building at 115th Street and Lenox Avenue caught fire and tenants and onlookers cheered as five children and their mothers were led to safety. A neighboring building's super, Sharif Abdul Aziz, made three different trips down the fire escape to save mothers and their babies. Aziz simply said, "Everything I do, I do for God." Firefighters also rescued one set of twins from the fifth floor by handing the kids through a window (one is pictured with a firefighter in the bucket). more ›

Neighbors are saddened by Mused's death, noting that he would give customers credit if they needed and would help out other businesses. His son said that Mused worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week in order to send money to his wife and other children there.
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A man who tried to rob a Harlem Dunkin' Donuts shot its manager to death yesterday. The attempted robbery was during broad daylight at 1PM, with the Post reporting that the robber waited in line until his turn and announced a stick up. The 20-something manager, a student at Baruch College, tried to flee, but was shot in the back, and then shot two more times as he tried to leave the store. The robber left after being unable to open the cash register - other employees had already left the scene. The Dunkin Donuts at 145th Street and Lenox Avenue did have surveillance cameras, so the police will be reviewing the tapes to see if they can get a picture of the killer. more ›