MTA Worker Charged With Killing Corrections Officer In Queens: DA

JAMAICA, QUEENS -- An MTA maintenance employee has been arrested and charged in the Queens road-rage shooting death of a 27-year-old off-duty corrections officer, authorities said.

Gifford Hunter, a 30-year-old bus maintenance worker from St. Albans, was arraigned on second-degree murder charges Monday for allegedly firing the fatal bullet at Jonathan Narain, of Jamaica, while he was sitting in his car at a traffic light early Friday morning.

If convicted, Hunter faces 25 years to life in prison.

Narain, a guard at Rikers Island, was on his way to work at about 1:30 a.m. when he got into a spat with a motorcyclist believed to be Hunter, according to police and news reports. Authorities said it was unclear what the two were arguing about.

The motorcyclist then pulled up to Narain's car at a red light near 103rd Avenue and 120th Street and shot him once in the head before speeding off, prosecutors said.

Cops later found Narain unconscious in the driver's seat of his 2013 red Honda Accord at the Richmond Hill intersection. Medics rushed him to Jamaica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

"This was a cold-hearted and senseless act of violence that will not be tolerated in Queens County," said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

Hunter was cuffed Sunday on charges of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, police said.

His attorney Ken Finkelman did not immediately return Patch's request for comment, but told CBS New Yorkhe believes cops arrested the wrong person. Finkelman told the TV station Hunter has no prior criminal record and doesn't even own a gun.

Hunter was ordered held without bail at his arraignment on Monday. He is slated to return to court Oct. 10.

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