By Forum Staff
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Monday that Minliang Zheng has been charged in the shooting of a 45-year-old woman, allegedly over her male relative’s unpaid financial debt.
Zheng, 50, fled to Massachusetts following the shooting. He was extradited to New York last week.
Zheng, 50, who lives in Quincy, Mass., was arraigned Thursday on a four-count indictment charging him with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, assault in the second degree and criminal possession of a firearm.
According to the charges:
Photo Courtesy of DA Katz
DA Katz (l.) said Zheng shot the woman “simply to settle a score.”
On Feb. 26, a man who has not been identified approached a 57-year-old woman at her Flushing home saying that a male relative of hers owed him money and that if the debt was not paid, someone would hurt her family.
Shortly after the threatening visit, cell phone records show that Zheng was near the woman’s house on multiple days, spending several hours at a time in the area.
Video surveillance footage recorded March 19, at approximately 10:30 a.m., shows a gray Honda Odyssey van registered to Zheng near the woman’s house. The van later followed the woman’s 45-year-sister as she left the house and drove to several locations near her own home in Oakland Gardens.
At 12:30 p.m., the 45-year-old was loading laundry into her car, which was parked in front of her home. Zheng got out of the Odyssey and approached the woman. He demanded money, saying, “The boss said to get the money.” Zheng pointed a gun at the woman and shot her in the leg.
Video footage shows the victim crawling into the driver’s side of her vehicle and attempting to evade Zheng by closing the door. Zheng grabbed the car door, pulled it open and told victim he would shoot her entire family and left.
Zheng fled to Massachusetts where he was apprehended Aug. 8. He was extradited to New York Thursday.
“The defendant shot the victim simply to settle a score. In this case, fortunately, the victim survived and the defendant will now be held accountable,” Katz said. “We thank the Massachusetts law enforcement community for helping to bring the defendant in to face justice.”
If convicted, Zheng faces up to 15 years in prison.
