New York police say a woman witnessed the deadly shooting of her boyfriend outside of a movie theater as the couple was carjacked by “masked thugs” Monday morning, the New York Post reports.

An unidentified 25-year-old male died after being shot once in the chest at about 3:30 a.m. on Ulmer Street in Queens, according to police. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

New York Daily News, citing police, reported that the victim was involved in an argument at Angels Strip Club on College Point Boulevard before the shooting. Upon leaving the strip club, “another car gave chase for more than half a mile, ramming the rear of the victim’s car several times,” according to the newspaper.

Authorities said the victim’s girlfriend, who also remains unidentified, confirmed that she and her boyfriend had been involved in a car wreck with another vehicle just moments before the alleged slaying. The victim was reportedly driving the woman’s car at the time of the crash.

After the wreck, the victim and the suspects pulled into the parking lot of Multiplex Cinemas, according to officials—and from there the encounter quickly escalated. Police said that’s when four masked men emerged from the vehicle that had crashed into the couple’s car, and “forcibly” removed the victim and his girlfriend at gunpoint from their own car.  

After a brief altercation, one of the perpetrators opened gunfire on the victim, before “the suspects fled in their own car and the couple’s car,” according to The Post.

Authorities recovered both unoccupied vehicles less than a mile away from the scene of the crime. What appeared to be a machine gun was reportedly recovered from the fatal scene. No arrests had been made at the time of publishing.

This is a developing story. CrimeOnline will provide further updates as information becomes available.

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