A Barbadian national who had been living in the United States for close to 30 years, was shot and killed last night while his son watched in horror, media reports in New York quoted witnesses and police as saying.

Forty-nine-year-old David Dottin, a Brooklyn father of two who purposely avoided the J’Ouvert celebrations, preferring to spend his Labour Day holiday quietly with family and friends, took a fatal bullet to the head at a gathering blocks from the parade route.

“I was just talking to him. We were talking about boxing. He got up and said he was going to put his chair away,” the New York Post quoted Dason Dottin, the victim’s 16-year-old son, as saying.

“That’s when I heard the gun shot. His body moved. I thought he flinched. Then he fell down. I thought he was going to get back up, but then I saw blood,” the teenager continued.

Dottin, who emigrated to the United States from Barbados in 1988, was pronounced dead at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn after being rushed there with a single gunshot wound, according to police.

Officials said he had been hanging out with friends and relatives less than two miles away from the West Indian Day Parade route, when gunfire rang out shortly before 9 p.m.

Dottin’s 70-year-old mother Anna was quoted by the Post as saying her son had purposely avoided J’Ouvert for years, choosing instead to spend time with family and friends.

“He doesn’t do J’Ouvert. That’s not his thing. He would rather hang out with his friends,” the paper quoted the mother as saying.

The Post quoted witnesses as saying the shooter, who was still being sought by police on Monday, began blasting into the crowd randomly with a 9mm pistol before taking off.

Authorities responded and found Dottin unconscious in front of the residence and transported him to Kings County.

“I was shocked at first. I tried to shake him, but then I started seeing more blood. My uncle was trying to keep him awake but he couldn’t,” Dason said.

“It was hard. I couldn’t stop crying. I still can’t believe it. I asked myself why him? It wasn’t intended for him but why? It really hurts. Of course, I feel angry. It’s not my fault but I kept thinking maybe if I had just called him over to where I was, maybe it wouldn’t have happened.”