Progress has been made in the most recent murder case to occur on the Strip of Despair, that trouble-laden stretch of 8th Avenue from just south of Penn Station to at least Times Square. Often filled with homeless, addicts and volatile characters generally, this stew exploded in the worst way possible
On Thursday, February 12, 2026, at approximately 1026 hours, police responded to a 911 call for an assault at the 7-Eleven location at 589 8th Avenue, at West 39th Street, within the confines of the Midtown South Precinct.
Upon arrival, officers observed an unidentified male with a gunshot wound to the neck. EMS responded and pronounced the male deceased on scene. There are no arrests, and it was reported that the victim was a known panhandler who often opens the door—of his own volition—for customers…