Man shot on street in North Bellport, say police

Suffolk County police are investigating a shooting Thursday morning that seriously injured a man walking in North Bellport, less than 2 miles from where a man was shot to death one week ago.

Police said Walter Harris, 53, of Bellport, was shot three times in the upper torso near Taylor and Louise avenues about 12:40 a.m.

Harris was taken by ambulance to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue, where he is being treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The shooter got out of a dark sedan with several people inside that pulled up next to Harris, police said. The shooter then fired several times, hitting Harris thrice in his upper torso, police said. The shooter and the sedan then fled; police said they could not say whether the shooter got back into the car.

Last week, police said they found Robert Burks, 52, shot to death in front of a North Bellport home on the 500 block of Bellport Avenue.

Burks' killing was at least the fifth homicide in Suffolk County since early October and the third since Oct. 31.

Police said anyone with information about the Harris shooting can contact the Fifth Squad at 631-854-8552 or call Crime Stoppers at 800-220-8477. All calls will remain confidential.