Punjab man shot dead in New York while delivering pizza; family seeks help to bring body home

A 27-year-old Indian national was shot dead in New York City by an unidentified man, according to a media report.

Gurdeep Singh, a resident of Queens, was fatally shot around 10 pm (local time) on Friday near Stanley Avenue in the East New York neighbourhood.

The suspect fled the scene after the incident. Police found a man shot in the chest when they reached the spot.

Paramedics rushed the victim to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, CBS News reported.

A surveillance video obtained by CBS News shows two people fighting in the street, followed by a flash of light assumed to be from gunshots. One person fell to the ground, and the other got into a car and drove off, the report said.

Police searched the neighbourhood for evidence till Saturday morning. No arrests have been made so far, and an investigation is underway.

Anthony Santos, who works near the crime scene, told CBS News the incident left him "shocked" and "afraid".

The US-based North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) on Sunday expressed grief and concern over the killing of Singh, who moved to the United States more than a decade ago.

NAPA executive director Satnam Singh Chahal said the incident should not be treated as an isolated case. "Every time a young Punjabi or Sikh person is killed, a family is destroyed. We cannot allow repeated violence to become something the community simply learns to live with," Chahal said.

NAPA urged investigators to establish the exact motive behind the killing and cautioned against concluding before the probe is over.

Singh's family is seeking justice and government help to repatriate his remains, sources said.