In a chilling incident caught on security footage, Marcellino Valerio, an 80-year-old man, met a tragic end on a Bronx street. The video depicts the heart-wrenching moment when a masked assailant on a bicycle took Valerio’s life, with his wife witnessing the horrifying act mere feet away.
Having just returned from a Sweet 16 celebration, Marcellino and his wife had barely alighted from their vehicle in front of 1209 Ogden Avenue in Highbridge at around 1 a.m. Sunday. Moments after their arrival, a masked figure approached them, donned entirely in black, including a foreboding ski mask. Without hesitation, the attacker shot Valerio twice, once at point-blank range.
The footage further reveals the sheer shock of Valerio’s wife staggering back and forth at the scene. In the wake of the tragedy, two women are seen rushing from the car, frantically signaling for help. Responding swiftly, a contingent of NYPD officers arrived, but Valerio was already beyond saving, as confirmed by the New York Post.
Premeditated murder?
Intriguingly, the video indicates this might not have been a random act of violence. Moments before the incident, the assailant had cycled past the building in the opposite direction. This behavior suggests he might have been waiting, biding his time for Valerio’s return, before making a swift U-turn when the car halted.
Post the heinous act, the shooter made his getaway on his bicycle and remains elusive.
The motive behind this cold-blooded execution remains shrouded in mystery. Law enforcement sources have revealed that the couple had been at a party in New Rochelle, Westchester County, before the incident. As officials delve deeper into the case, the community awaits answers and hopes for justice for Marcellino Valerio.