MS-13 link investigated in Jamaica Hills shooting, source says

Detectives in Queens are investigating a possible MS-13 link to the slaying Friday of a man found shot on the street in the Jamaica Hills section, a law enforcement source said.

The victim, Oscar Antonio Blanco, 20, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, was found about 6:30 p.m. in front of 85-14 160th Street, having suffered gunshot wounds to the head and groin, police said. EMS transported the victim, who the source said is an immigrant from El Salvador, to Queens General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The body was found by police less than 900 feet from Hillcrest High School. Police have released a sketch of the victim.

On Feb. 4, police released images from a surveillance video made around the time of the shooting. The video depicted the victim walking toward 160th Street from Parsons Boulevard with an unknown man to his right and a third unknown man walking behind them.

A few minutes later, video captured the two unknown persons walking “quickly away” from 160th Street toward Parsons Boulevard, according to police.

It was unclear whether there were any witnesses to the shooting, which the law enforcement source said might have been an execution-style killing. An NYPD spokesman declined to comment Monday.

Police ask that anyone with information about the incident call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). All calls are kept strictly confidential.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.