2 shot by man wearing Halloween mask in Washington Heights: Police

NEW YORK CITY -- (WPIX) -- Police are searching for the masked gunman who shot a man and a woman in Washington Heights early Thursday.

A dispute erupted outside an apartment building along West 163rd Street and Broadway in Washington Heights when a man wearing a green hoodie and a white Halloween mask opened fire at about 2 a.m., police said.

A 17-year-old woman was shot once in the torso and a 21-year-old man was shot several times and was hit in the leg, chest and back, according to police.

Police sources say the male victim is a suspected gang member with a criminal history. He was on probation at the time of the shooting.

Investigators tell PIX11 they believe this was not a random attack.

Both victims were taken to the hospital for treatment, said cops.

A friend of the male victim who left right before the gunfire spoke to PIX11 exclusively, explaining what happened before the shooting.

"I heard the six shots. Came down running. The girl was laying down with a lot of blood. My friend was laying down, shot in the leg," he said.