TV crime drama met real-life horror on the Law & Order: Organized Crime set on Tuesday morning.
In a shocking turn, a crew member for the hit drama was shot and killed inside his car in the Greenpoint area of Brooklyn, New York.
The victim, who is still unidentified, was reportedly setting up parking spots for filming when he was shot early in the morning. He has been reported as a local man from Queens working for a regional company.
Production for the day was shut down with an investigation still ongoing. Police are hunting for a suspect, but no word on the motive.
This tragedy casts a dark shadow on the series, which begins production on Season 2.
The real-life tragedy on Law & Order: Organized Crime set
While several details are still being withheld as the investigation continues, it has been confirmed that a set worker for the series was in a parked car when a man in a hooded jacket opened the door and shot him three times.
The man, a 31-year-old parking enforcement worker, was killed while sitting in a car on the New York set of the Universal Television-produced series, according to police reports.
The show had been blocking off the street for filming, with the worker part of the crew spacing out parking spots. According to the reports, he was shot around 5:15 a.m., New York time, and rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 6 a.m.
Production was shut down for the day, with the police continuing their investigation.
As of yet, the victim’s name is still being withheld until the family is notified.
An NBC and Universal Television spokeswoman issued a statement on the event.
“We were terribly saddened and shocked to hear that one of our crew members was the victim of a crime early this morning and has died as a result. We are working with local law enforcement as they continue to investigate. Our hearts go out to his family and friends, and we ask that you respect their privacy during this time.”
What this means for Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 2
As the story is still unfolding, further developments will likely occur, particularly once the victim’s identity is revealed.
It’s anticipated that filming will commence this week while it’s possible the crew may move to a different location with the police still investigating the crime scene.
While it’s unlikely this will impact the season itself, there is still the question as to the murder’s motive and if there is any connection to the series.
As of Tuesday afternoon, there is still no word from Dick Wolf Entertainment or any of the cast or producers of the show.
While filming is expected to get underway, it will be a shadow on Season 2 of Law & Order: Organized Crime that the “ripped from the headlines” style of the show hit too close to home with a real tragedy on set.
Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 2 premieres Thursday, September 22 at 10/9c on NBC.