Suspects still sought in Huntington Station shooting

Homicide detectives are still searching for two men who gunned down a 25-year-old man on his birthday last month in Huntington Station, Suffolk County police said Wednesday in a crime alert.

Russell Peterman Jr. was talking with his father and two cousins on the stoop of a Huntington Station home shortly before 11 p.m. on Sept. 7 when two men walked around the side of the home, opened fire and killed him.

Peterman had gathered with about 10 other men at the home on Railroad Street near Kilburn Avenue to drink beer and smoke, police said at the time.

Peterman's father, Russell Peterman Sr., 50, of Middle Island, was grazed twice, and his cousins, Ariel Perez, 21, of Wyandanch, and Cordel Pointer, 22, of Huntington Station, also were shot. Perez was grazed in the abdomen and pointer in the right knee.

One other man also was injured. Police said in the release all have been released from hospitals.

Police said the dead man was a member of the Crips street gang, as is Perez.

Perez had been shot earlier, in August, when he was outside another Huntington Station home with his girlfriend, who also was wounded.

Police have said they are looking into the possibility that the shooting was in retaliation for a previous attack or attacks in Huntington Station.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers, 800-220-8477. All callers will remain anonymous.