NIAGARA FALLS
Police hunt for gunman in 13th St. killing
Woman, 35, found dead in her car in an alley
NIAGARA FALLS — City detectives are searching for a suspect in the killing of a 35-year-old Niagara Falls woman.
Police were called to a disturbance in an alley at 13th Street and Ashland Avenue at 10:15 a. m. Friday and found Dorothy J. Banks of 18th Street shot in her side behind the wheel of a car.
Coroner Robert J. DuBois said it appears Banks was shot at close range by a passenger.
Banks was taken to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 11 a. m., Detective Capt. Ernest Palmer said.
Palmer said Banks’ car struck another parked car in the alley, but said they were unsure if she hit the car before or after she was shot.
He said there were no witnesses to the shooting but that police did receive an eyewitness report of a dark-skinned man, about 6 feet tall, wearing a red hoodie leaving the scene.
“It’s unknown if this is the shooter,” Palmer said.
Palmer said the victim was shot on the right side of her body. He said police are unable to release more specific details of the investigation.
Nearby Harry F. Abate Elementary School was locked down for the day, and parents were informed via an automated calling system at 11:24 a. m. that there had been a shooting, said Judy Gregory, Niagara Falls School District public relations director.
