Six Are Shot Over Weekend in Far Rockaway

A 15-year-old girl was shot in the head while visiting an apartment building where she used to live in Far Rockaway, Queens, police officials said yesterday.

Police are investigating whether the girl, identified by officials as Brandon Bethea, was targeted or the victim of stray gunfire. Officials said the gun appeared to have been fired at least several feet away from where she was standing outside of a building in a public housing project on Redfern Avenue at around 11 p.m. on Saturday.

In a separate shooting at 2 a.m. yesterday, five men were shot less than 10 blocks away from where Bethea was killed.

Police officials said they believed the two shootings were unrelated, however. None of the five men were killed in the gunfire.

Officials said a sixth man had fought with the group of men outside of a West Indian restaurant near the corner of Beach 21st Street and Mott Avenue.

The man left and then returned a few minutes later, when he began firing on the five men. He was seen fleeing in a white SUV, which was later found by police. The suspect was taken into custody along with several other men found riding in the car with him.

Police officials said they discovered a gun inside the car. No arrests had been made in either shooting as of yesterday evening.