Pubdate: Sun, 03 Apr 2005
Source: New York Post (NY)
Copyright: 2005 N.Y.P. Holdings, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nypost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/296
Author: Douglas Montero, Philip Messing and Cynthia R. Fagen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

PILFERED POT EYED IN RUB-OUT OF QNS. TEEN

A popular teenager who was gunned down in cold blood near her Queens
high school may have been targeted for death because she owed money to
pot dealers, a friend said yesterday.

The friend said that Sequoia Thomas, 17, had been taking bags of pot
from local drug dealers to sell, but never paid them back.

A law-enforcement source confirmed cops were looking into a report
that the victim had been "dabbling" in the marijuana business.

"It was nickel-and-dime stuff," the source said. "She may have taken
some marijuana on consignment and not paid for it."

Thomas' friend, who asked not to be identified, said that for the past
six months, several people had been looking for the teen.

One man claimed Thomas owed him $500.

"I'm not the only one she owes money to. I don't want to hurt her
because she's a girl," he told the friend.

Police believe a man shot the teenager in broad daylight on Friday
around noon.

Witnesses said that they spotted Thomas in a shoving match with him on
160th Street near 85th Avenue just before a shot rang out.

The impact spun Thomas around, and she staggered several steps, crying
for help.

"Then he grabbed her by the neck and shot her three more times," said
Segundo Cajamarca, 36, a roofer.

Police said the shooter is still at large.
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