A man was fatally shot in the head after leaving a bar near Times Square early Tuesday morning, police said.
The suspect shot Perseus Salichs, 33, in the head outside Tonic Bar on Seventh Avenue, between 48th and 49th streets, at about 3:50 a.m., and fled, according to cops.
Salichs, of the Upper West Side, was taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, where he was pronounced dead.
Police believe there was a previous argument between Salichs and the suspect that may have led to the shooting.
The eastern side of Seventh Avenue was blocked off to pedestrians as investigators took photos of the scene Tuesday morning.
About 11 belongings, including a purse and a hat, were left scattered on the sidewalk outside Tonic.
The shooting was concerning to people who work nearby, including William Iglesias, 37, who has been employed at Roast Kitchen, about a half block from Tonic, for five years.
“My customers are afraid to come to the store,” he said, adding that Tuesday’s breakfast crowd was smaller than normal.
“We’ll tighten up the security, definitely,” said James Wadiwala, 26, at Fragrances & More, which is across from the bar. “We have the cameras, so we’ll monitor more closely.”
The cameras didn’t capture the shooting at Tonic.
Christopher Ganley, 45, who works as a messenger for a food delivery company, said he has seen people get into fights outside Tonic before.
“A lot of times, when I work at night I see drunks get it out with each other outside the bar,” he said. “Just fists and cuffs, no weapons or anything.”
No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
With Rajvi Desai
