Man shot in downtown Riverhead Monday afternoon, police investigation ongoing

Riverhead Police are investigating a shooting yesterday afternoon in the area of the municipal parking lot off East Avenue, behind the Methodist Church.

In a brief statement issued just before midnight last night, Riverhead Police said they had responded at about 3:15 p.m. “to the report of a shooting in the area of East Avenue” and that responding officers “determined that a victim of a gunshot was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center to be treated for his injury.”

“The investigation found that the victim and the shooter do know each other and this is not a random act,” Riverhead Police said in the statement.

“This shooting has no connection with the shooting last month on Main Street in Riverhead,” the statement said.

Police were dispatched to the parking lot off East Avenue when a man called 911 at about 3:15 p.m. to report he’d been shot there. Multiple police units responded to the reported location of the incident, closing down East Avenue and sealing off the area. Police found no victim but found blood at the scene, according to radio reports.

The police dispatcher, who remained on the phone with the victim, then learned he was calling from a house on Riverside Avenue in Flanders. Riverhead Police notified Southampton Police and responded to the house in Flanders, where officers confirmed gunshot wounds to the man’s face and side, according to radio reports. The victim was transported by Flanders Northampton Volunteer Ambulance to Peconic Bay Medical Center for treatment.

Police did not say whether any weapons were recovered or whether they had anyone in custody in connection with the incident, which they said remains under investigation.

Police ask anyone with information about the incident to contact the Riverhead Police Department at 631-727-4500.