James Creekmore, 41, was fatally shot as he returned to his North Bay Shore home just before 10 p.m. on January 3, 2015. The shooting occurred at 1681 N. Gardiner Drive after someone inside the house let an unknown man — reported to have been fumbling with the lock and wearing a mask — into the residence. Creekmore was shot upon entering; he was pronounced dead at the home.

Creekmore’s children were in the house and witnessed the shooting but were not physically harmed. The Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad opened an investigation and described this as the county’s first homicide of the year. Authorities said it was too early to know whether Creekmore had been specifically targeted, and no arrest or publicly identified suspect had been announced. The investigation remained ongoing.

If anyone has information about the shooting or the masked intruder, contact the Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad.