A frum, elderly man and veteran Hatzalah member was tragically found shot along the shoreline of Kissena Lake in Queens on Monday afternoon. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers responded to a call about an unconscious man near the lake, located within Kissena Park in East Flushing, just before 5 p.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Albert (Avrumi) Itzkowitz, 75, of Queens, suffering from gunshot wounds to the neck and back.

No arrests have been made, and police have yet to release descriptions of possible suspects or establish a motive.

Community members remember Avrumi as a pillar of the Queens Jewish kehilah. Sorolle Idels of the Queens Jewish Alliance told Belaaz that he was beloved by all who encountered him.

“Always with a smile, Avrumi was a wonderful man,” Idels said. “He was osek tzibbur — he was in Hatzalah early on.”

Idels also recalled that Avrumi and his family had operated the first kosher bakery in Kew Gardens Hills. “He had a bakery with his father and brother – the first kosher bakery in Kew Gardens Hills,” Idels said. “And when their faher was niftar, he and his brother ran the store.”

Avrumi had recently suffered the loss of his wife, who passed away two weeks ago.