Two charged in August South Floral Park shooting

December 14, 2009
By JOHN VALENTI

A Queens man and a Brooklyn woman were arrested Sunday for a shooting on a South Floral Park street in August, Nassau County police said.

Melissa Gaskin, 23, of 737 Westminster Rd., Brooklyn, and Derek Gaines, 28, of 144-30 168th St., Jamaica, were arrested by Fifth Squad detectives Sunday at 8:30 p.m. as they were sitting in a parked Toyota Corolla in Marine Park on Avenue U in Brooklyn, police said.

Both were charged with first-degree assault, first-degree criminal use of a firearm and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Both are scheduled for arraignment Monday in First District Court in Hempstead, police said.

Police said the shooting took place Aug. 10 near the corner of Marguerite Avenue and Tennessee Avenue in South Floral Park at about 10:30 p.m.

They said the victim, described only as a man, 23, had arranged to meet Gaskin there. They said Gaskin arrived, driven to the scene in a silver van being operated by Gaines.

Once at the scene, police said, Gaskin exited the van and "got into a verbal confrontation with the victim."

It was unclear what started the argument.

Police said that as Gaskin and the victim were involved in "the confrontation," Gaines exited the van armed with a handgun and shot the victim "several times in the leg and buttocks." The victim was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated and released.

By By JOHN VALENTI
Posted Wednesday, December 16, 2009

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