Crew member shot dead on ‘Law & Order’ set in New York

The hit crime drama Law & Order is now a real life crime scene after a crew member was shot dead in their car on the show’s New York set.

A crew member working on hit US TV crime drama Law & Order was gunned down at the show’s New York set – in a shooting that could have been pulled straight out of the script, authorities said.

Johnny Pizarro, a 31-year-old married dad of three, had just started his shift on the set of Law & Order: Organised Crime on Tuesday, local time, reported the New York Post.

He was sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle that was saving a parking space in the Brooklyn suburb of Greenpoint around 5.15am when another man suddenly opened the driver’s door and shot him, officials and friends said.

“It was crazy,’’ said a distraught colleague of Mr Pizarro, who was saving the spot for the film crews’ trucks to use later.

“I didn’t hear an argument or nothing. It was quiet, early morning,’’ said the colleague, who asked not to be named. “It was just a pop, and the [gunman] ran up towards Nassau [Avenue]. I only heard one bang, but I don’t know how many shots.

“I don’t even know who would do this or why.’’

The shooting occurred on the set of Law & Order: Organised Crime. Picture: Fox 5

Local resident Janus Czuj, 60, said he thought the crime scene was just for the cameras.

“This morning I woke up and saw the police officers,” Mr Czuj said. “I thought it was a fake crime scene.

“I didn’t think it was a real tragedy. … I tried to walk dogs here and saw the tape and thought, ‘Oh, it’s a movie.’ But this was a real shooting.”

The motive for the killing was unclear, but police have said they are not ruling out anything — including whether it may have stemmed from a parking dispute.

Mr Pizarro, of Queens in New York City, was shot multiple times in the face and neck, officials said.

A LAW & Order: Organized Crime crew member who was gunned down by a mystery attacker has been identified as Johnny Pizarro, 31.https://t.co/pZfNZurgCVpic.twitter.com/ATTQ3CXEzB

— Fox3 Now (@fox3news) July 19, 2022

He was taken to Woodhull Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead just before 6am, police said.

Filming had been scheduled to start on the set at 6am, according to a notice at the scene.

The suspect fled on foot after the murder and is yet to be caught, authorities said. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie and black pants.

The victim had an arrest record but had been out of trouble since around 2015, police sources said.

His prior arrests included domestic violence and marijuana charges, but the cases are sealed, sources said.

He also was once arrested for drink driving, sources said.

Actors Richard Belzer and Chris Meloni on the set of Law and Order: SVU.

TV network responds

NBC and Universal Television, which produce the TV crime series, said in a statement, “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.”

A friend and co-worker of Mr Pizarro said the men’s job was to put up the flyers, cones and park the trucks.

“We’ve been doing this for five or six years,” he said. “We come 24 hours in advance to start clearing out the parking.

“We park in our trucks, and we wait for the stars to come out. The trucks have equipment for the TV shows and movie scenes.

“Sometimes we get hassled about parking, but we work with a lot of people in the communities,” the man said.

“They talk with us, we talk with them. We see what time you want to leave, and depending on what time our trucks come, we let them park. There’s never too much hassle with the parking.”

Local resident Ian Oberholtzer, 35, who has lived on the block for 11 years, said he doubted the crime was motivated over a parking dispute.

“There’s plenty of parking spots at 5am.”

The block is a popular set for shooting the show because it is close to production studios, according to Mr Oberholtzer.

Law and Order is one of the most successful TV franchises. Picture: Fox 5

Tuesday’s filming was to be for the popular series’ third season, which features stars including Chris Meloni and Ainsley Seiger.

“They shoot a lot over here,” he said of the production crew. “The parking routine is pretty normal.“

Mr Oberholtzer added that the area is normally quiet and safe.

“It’s not the kind of thing you’d expect on the block,’’ he said of the deadly shooting.

“I never feel threatened or endangered. I’m concerned but also pretty confused by it.”

The fatal shooting was the first murders in the trendy Greenpoint neighbourhood this year.

The dead man’s co-worker said he had known the victim for seven years and described him as “like a brother to me.’’

The friend said Mr Pizarro left behind a wife, two daughters and a son.

“He was a great guy, always laughing or making somebody laugh,” the co-worker said.

Mr Czuj said he saw the victim Monday and described him as a “good-looking, happy guy.

“He was speaking to his friends while they were moving cones and picking up the parking spots,” Mr Czuj said.

“He was working yesterday, and now he’s dead. It makes me sad.”

A neighbour at the victim’s Queens home also called Pizarro “a really great guy.

“I am shocked,” the resident said.
This story appeared in the New York Post and is reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Crew member shot dead on ‘Law & Order’ set in New York