Man, 40, shot to death in basement of Brooklyn apartment building, stunning wife, friends

A 40-year-old father was fatally shot in the basement of a Brooklyn apartment building early Sunday, according to police, leaving his wife and friends in disbelief.

Lavel Fraiser was shot in the torso in a building on Sterling Place by Franklin Ave. in Crown Heights around 1 a.m., according to police.

Medics rushed him to Kings County Hospital, but he could not be saved.

Fraiser regularly hung out in the basement he was killed in, according to a friend.

“I know they do cookouts and some of them hang out here, but nothing crazy happens,” said a woman who lives on the block. “It’s really sad.”

The victim was married and had four children. He lived just a few blocks away from the building where he was shot, according to cops.

“He’s very humble,” said the victim’s wife, who only identified herself as Adriana. “He’s an entrepreneur [and was] going to school for business management.”

Fraiser loved sports and music, according to a longtime friend.

“It’s crazy,” said the man, who identified himself as Blanco. “I’m still in disbelief.”

Police have made no arrests as they continue to hunt down the gunman.

“You know people and you’ll be like, nah, that can’t happen to them?” Blanco asked. “I came to this, and I couldn’t believe it.”

The killing marked the fourth homicide so far this year in the 77th Precinct, which saw just one slaying through March 3, last year, according to NYPD stats.