NYC man fatally shot in head was just bystander visiting friend, dad says -- marking second innocent gunned down in as many days
Share and Follow

The young man who was fatally shot in the head in the Bronx was actually an innocent bystander. He was visiting with an out-of-town friend from Detroit, as his shell-shocked father shared with The Post on Thursday.

The tragic killing of Daoud Marji, a 28-year-old plumber’s apprentice, Wednesday evening marked the second time in as many days that an innocent New Yorker was slain in random gun violence on the city’s streets.

“What am I going to do? He was my blood,” heartbroken Saed Marji, 56, said from his home in Yonkers.

The grieving dad said he encouraged Daoud not to travel to the Bronx, because he heard the area was bad.

But Marji pressed on, bringing him to University Avenue near West Kingsbridge Road just before 5 p.m. — the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Then I get a call from a Detroit number – ‘Daoud, he got shot,’” Saed said, recounting the fateful call.

“I”m a strong man, but I’m shocked. I have to take care of my family. My wife, she’s very bad.”


A bearded man resembling Paulo Autuori, wearing a cross necklace, identified as victim Marji, Daoud from 10/28/1996
Daoud, a plumber’s apprentice, was killed in the second fatal bystander shooting in just a few days.

A trailblazing Harlem bodega owner and community fixture — Excenia Mette, 61 — was also fatally shot in the head Tuesday when she ran outside to check on her grandson.

The Harlem shooting prompted an outcry of grief from a community often gripped by gun violence.

Barely a day had passed before Marji, too, was randomly gunned down. Another bystander in the Bronx shooting — a 33-year-old woman — was also shot in the chaos, police said.

The shooting unfolded when a shooter or shooters fired bullets in a crowd, law-enforcement sources said.

Marji had immigrated to the US from Jordan when he was a child, his father said. He worked as a plumber’s apprentice.

Family friend Ray Khoury, 56, said Marji didn’t have a “bad bone in his body.”

“He came when he was very young from the Middle East with his family, a hardworking family,” Khoury said.

“They always helped out the community, especially Daoud. It’s a great loss for our community. He was very outgoing, very helpful, very polite. Called everybody uncle or auntie.”

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Nitrates found in tap water and processed meats linked to dementia

New Study Links Nitrates in Tap Water and Processed Meats to Increased Dementia Risk

Recent research has established a troubling connection between nitrates, commonly found in…
Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar sprayed with unknown substance during town hall

Minnesota’s Ilhan Omar Faces Unidentified Substance Incident at Town Hall Event

During a town hall event in Minneapolis, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar experienced…
Chicago Council committee hears testimony from activists, officials from city, Minnesota after Alex Pretti shooting, on ICE

Chicago Council Committee Evaluates Testimonies from Activists and Officials on Alex Pretti ICE Shooting Incident

Chicago is closely monitoring recent fatal federal immigration enforcement actions occurring in…
White House explodes as Trump's Minnesota 'retreat' sparks MAGA revolt

White House in Turmoil: Trump’s Minnesota ‘Retreat’ Ignites MAGA Uprising

The White House is in turmoil over allegations that Donald Trump is…
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s alleged attacker sprayed her with apple cider vinegar, hazmat crew confirms: report

Shocking Incident: Rep. Ilhan Omar Targeted in Apple Cider Vinegar Attack, Hazmat Team Investigates

During a tumultuous town hall meeting in Minnesota on Tuesday night, U.S.…
Devastating impact of Minneapolis shooting on Trump

Minneapolis Shooting: How It Affects Trump’s Political Landscape

Each U.S. president encounters a defining moment that significantly impacts their legacy…
Harper Beckham, 14, puts on a stylish display in a fluffy coat

Harper Beckham Stuns in Trendy Fluffy Coat: 14-Year-Old Fashion Icon Makes Waves

For years, I’ve chosen silence, striving to keep these issues private. However,…
Spencer Pratt admits to selling photos of Mary-Kate Olsen

Spencer Pratt Reveals Secret Role in Selling Mary-Kate Olsen Photos: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

Spencer Pratt has confessed to leaking photographs of Mary-Kate Olsen. The revelation…