Police release security video of Melius shooting

Police released surveillance video Thursday of the failed assassination attempt on the owner of Oheka Castle in Huntington two years ago. The video shows a hitman dressed in all black sneaking up on

News 12 Staff

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Feb 26, 2016, 4:45 AM

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Updated 3,246 days ago

Police released surveillance video Thursday of the failed assassination attempt on the owner of Oheka Castle in Huntington two years ago.

The video shows a hitman dressed in all black sneaking up on and shooting Gary Melius as he sat in his Mercedes in the castle's parking lot on Feb. 24, 2014.

The gunman, who remains unidentified, then flees in a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Melius suffered a serious gunshot wound to the head but survived the attack.

"This is an individual who was lying in wait and was able to shoot the victim in the face," Suffolk Police Commissioner Tim Sini said at a news conference where police released the video to the public.

Sini said he decided to release the video a day after the incident's two-year anniversary in a bid to drum-up new leads in the investigation.

Melius chided police for waiting so long to release the video. He is offering his own $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Suffolk police on Wednesday asked the FBI to join the investigation.

"We look forward to working with the FBI to bring this case to a close," Sini said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Suffolk County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.