Lavel Fraiser: Brooklyn father who heroically saved family from house fire gunned down in ambush

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: Lavel Fraiser, a beloved father of 13 renowned for heroically saving his family from a previous house fire, fell victim to a targeted ambush outside a Brooklyn brownstone early Sunday morning, March 10.

Known affectionately as "Flip" among friends and neighbors, the 40-year-old Fraiser was fatally shot in the torso by a group of gunmen who, according to witnesses, were lying in wait for him. The chilling incident unfolded at 673 Sterling Place, where the victim was found in the backyard around 1 am.

Lavel Fraiser's final moments

Christopher McCarthy, a friend of the victim who made the 911 call, expressed shock over the incident. "He's a good guy. Flip is a good guy. I can't believe that really happened. I'm in shock," he said.

“He was in the back. Outside in the back. He was sitting on the ground. He was shot. So I said Flip are you OK and he said nothing. Then another friend started yelling ‘Call 911, come on call 911!’ So I called," per New York Post.

A resident from the vicinity, preferring to remain anonymous, mentioned hearing four gunshots during the incident.

Neighbors unite to pay heartfelt tribute to Lavel Fraiser

John Williams, the building's superintendent and a close friend of Fraiser for seven years recounted the tragic scene. "He got shot outside in front. He staggered in all the way to the back. He was hiding back there. I don't know what the beef was. He was a nice guy."

Fraiser's wife, Andriana, 28, described him as a "superhero" father, highlighting how he courageously saved their family from a house fire caused by their landlord in September. "He saved me and my children’s lives. We were in a house fire last September. He saved all of us, me and my six children," she said.

She added, “He was good man. He was way humble. He was a vibe. He had his own business. He was very smart.”

Originally from Panama, Fraiser had reportedly encountered “no problems” since his arrival in New York, according to McCarthy. As of now, no arrests have been made, and the investigation into the targeted shooting continues.