New photos of Harlem man accused of shooting neighbor during fight

HARLEM, Manhattan (PIX11) — The NYPD on Thursday released images of a Harlem man wanted for allegedly shooting his neighbor multiple times inside their apartment building, leaving her in critical condition.

Avery Dunning, 35, is accused by police of opening fire on neighbor Jemina Garay, 41, in the hallway of their building in the Lincoln Houses on East 135th Street near Park Avenue around 8:25 a.m. Wednesday.

Prior to the shooting, Garay called the police on Dunning, saying that he and his girlfriend had been arguing at length overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, law enforcement sources previously told PIX11 News.

Officers responded to that call, but left after Dunning’s girlfriend refused to file a complaint, sources said, adding that the couple has a history of domestic violence.

On Wednesday morning, Dunning and Garay’s husband got into a fight in the building’s sixth-floor hallway, sources said. During that brawl, Dunning allegedly pulled out a gun and opened fire, hitting Garay in the head, stomach, and thigh.

First responders rushed Garay to an area hospital, where she remained late Thursday in what authorities described as critical condition. 

After the shooting, Dunning’s girlfriend locked herself inside her apartment, leading police to break down the door in a search for Dunning, sources said. But after getting inside, officers found that Dunning was gone, sources said.

Investigators released images of Dunning late Thursday, asking the public for tips on his whereabouts.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.