It started as an argument outside a Coram apartment building. Within moments, it turned into gunfire that left a man seriously injured.
On Sunday night, just before 8:40 p.m., a group of men gathered in front of 24 Country Club Drive. What began as a heated dispute quickly escalated, drawing attention in a typically quiet residential area.
Then, according to police, everything changed in seconds.
Authorities say 18-year-old Dominick Tullon suddenly pulled out a handgun and fired four shots into the group. One of those bullets struck a 38-year-old man, leaving him seriously injured. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is expected to survive.
The sound of gunfire sent shock through the neighborhood.
But what happened next unfolded just as quickly.
Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct officers flooded the area and began canvassing nearby streets almost immediately. Within minutes, they located Tullon nearby and took him into custody just after 9 p.m., ending what could have become an even more dangerous situation.
The speed of the arrest became the turning point in the case.
Tullon, who lives on Dorchester Drive in Coram, now faces multiple serious charges. He was held overnight and is expected to be arraigned in Central Islip.
Meanwhile, detectives are still working to piece together exactly what sparked the argument and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
For residents in Coram, it is the kind of incident that hits close to home. A sudden burst of violence in a place that, just moments earlier, felt completely normal.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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