A fatal shooting inside a Queens bar has left the Kew Gardens community shaken after 29‑year‑old Demitri McKay was killed early Tuesday morning. The incident occurred just after 1:30 a.m. on March 24, 2026, inside Hangar 11, a restaurant and bar located at 119‑11 Metropolitan Avenue. Police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire and arrived to find McKay gravely wounded as patrons fled the establishment in panic.
According to investigators, McKay was shot in the left arm, but the bullet traveled through his arm and struck his heart, causing catastrophic internal injuries. Emergency medical personnel rushed him to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Witnesses told police they heard a heated argument moments before the gunfire erupted, followed by chaos as people scrambled to escape the bar.
Authorities confirmed that two suspects fled the scene immediately after the shooting. One was described as wearing a blue tracksuit, while the other wore a pink hooded sweatshirt. Both men were last seen running from the bar in the moments following the gunfire. Police have not yet released additional identifying details, but detectives are reviewing surveillance footage from inside and outside the establishment.
Further reporting revealed that McKay, a resident of Queens Village, had joined the MTA in 2024 and was known among colleagues and family as a hardworking and devoted young man. His father later shared that his son had been “in the wrong place at the wrong time” and that the killing appeared to have happened for “no reason,” underscoring the senselessness of the violence.
Police sources told reporters that the motive remains unclear, though the argument overheard by residents suggests a dispute escalated rapidly. Officers from the 102nd Precinct canvassed the area, interviewed witnesses, and collected ballistic evidence from inside Hangar 11. Detectives are also working to determine whether the suspects had any prior connection to McKay or if the confrontation was spontaneous.
As the investigation continues, residents of Kew Gardens have expressed concern about rising violence in nightlife areas and hope for swift arrests. Community members have begun leaving messages of condolence online, remembering McKay as a young man whose life was cut short far too soon. Police are urging anyone with information about the suspects or the events leading up to the shooting to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline.
