A suspect wanted for fatally shooting his Harlem neighbor in a clash over a robbery they committed together fled town but was nabbed at a Rockland County motel, police said Thursday.
Freddie Gaetan, 29, was arrested Wednesday at the Budget Motor Inn in Stony Point, about 35 miles north of New York City, and charged in the Monday night murder of Paul Gonzalez, 38.
The shooting was sparked by an earlier argument they had over a robbery they previously committed together, according to what cops were told by a member of the victim’s family.
“He came up behind my brother and shot him in the head,” Jason Rodriguez said.
The victim’s other brother, Robert Rodriguez, said that Gonzalez, also known as Polo, had been on the phone with his ex-wife arguing about their child together when the shooting happened.
He said the suspect had just gotten out of prison.
“He went away for a few months for attempted murder and they let him out to do this,” the angry brother told the Us.Mistertruth. “My brother would have been alive right now if that motherf—er wasn’t let go.”
Gonzalez, one of five people slain in the city during a recent bloody 11-hour span, was shot in the head in front of his apartment building on W. 140th St. near Frederick Douglass Blvd.
The victim, who leaves behind a 6-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son, was rushed by medics to Harlem Hospital but could not be saved. The suspect, who lives on the same block, ran off and then left town, police said.
Gaetan was charged with murder and gun possession.
Neither man had a prior robbery arrest, police said. The suspect has nine prior arrests, including for attempted murder in 2021.
Gonzalez had two assault arrests and one for marijuana possession.
His brother said that he was beloved around the neighborhood.
“He never bothered nobody, everybody loved him,” Jason Rodriguez said. “I didn’t know how many people loved him until I saw all the pictures up around the neighborhood.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help raise money to support the victim’s family.
“Polo was loved by the entire community, he made jokes, loved sports and could put a smile on anyone’s face,” the page’s organizer Jonathan Alicea wrote. “Justice will be served.”