A Brooklyn DJ was killed yesterday afternoon while riding his bike near Hart and Broadway streets in Bushwick.
Friends of Xochil Zack Fortune, who went by the stage name Furoche, say he was heading to an interview for a job as a bike messenger around 2:30 p.m. when he was hit by one motorist, then pinned between a second vehicle. According to the FDNY, he was taken to Woodhull Hospital in serious condition, but expected to survive. Reports from friends, however, indicate he later died at Bellevue, though neither the NYPD nor the FDNY claim to be aware of any fatalities. Friends also tell us Fortune's mother arrived this morning from Florida and identified his body.
The NYPD press office could not provide any information about the collision, and it's still unclear if the department's Collision Investigation Squad [CIS] is investigating. (The NYPD press office routinely notifies the media of CIS investigations, but it appears nothing was sent in regards to Fortune's death.)
A self-described "businessman in street clothing," Fortune's death has sent shock waves through Brooklyn's creative community. The blog Do Androids Dance? eulogized him thus:
Furoche was an incredible producer, engineer, and DJ He had his hands in screen printing, cinematography, and a million other ventures. The stories that he’s left behind are legendary, he was one of the most caring and kind souls that music has ever connected me to, and we lost a great artist and a staple in the New York party scene way too early. Ma-Less has had him at her Shake ‘n Bass party in Orlando numerous times. He was a personal friend, and we were planning on moving to LA together. This loss is painful, and it’s personal.
A crowdfunding page has been created to raise money for Fortune's funeral expenses. Donations can be made here.
