Twin shot dead

Man, 20, is killed in front of his brother

An aspiring Manhattan rapper was shot dead in front of his twin brother and a handful of friends about a block away from his home, though police are not sure if he was the intended target, sources and relatives said Friday.

Luis Dela Cruz, 20, was gunned down about 9 p.m. Thursday on Thayer St. and Sherman Ave. in Inwood, police said.

His brother, Andri Dela Cruz, said the shooting occurred so fast he didn’t know what was happening.

“Some people just walked up to us from behind and started shooting and it hit my brother,” the grieving sibling told the Daily News Friday. “We went to the hospital, then I went to the precinct. They wouldn’t even let me see my brother. I got back to the hospital and he was dead.”

Cops say Dela Cruz had no criminal record. When police arrived at the scene, medics had already taken him to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where he died. The bullet struck a major artery in his leg and he bled out, doctors told investigators.

The gunman ran off and was still being sought Friday. Cops were trying to determine if the gunman intended to shoot Dela Cruz or if the young rapper was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The section of Thayer St. where Dela Cruz was murdered is known for its illegal drug trade and violence, but friends said the slain man wasn’t in a gang.

Instead, Dela Cruz, who went by the nickname “CEO,” worked as a lifeguard while recording music videos for his burgeoning rap career.

“He had a lot of love for people,” his brother said. “He was trying to do good.”

Heartbroken relatives were left stunned by the senseless killing.

“I can’t believe it, I am waiting for him to walk into my room and say ‘Whadup V, I’m going to work or something,’” his sister Vizandri Dela Cruz, 22, said. “He was always protective of the people he loved, especially the girls in his life, especially me.”

Wracked with grief, Dela Cruz’s parents could barely form words when asked about their son Friday.

“He was a good kid, he was healthy and happy and innocent,” his father Luis Dela Cruz said in between sobs as his wife wailed uncontrollably. “We are devastated.”

“It’s something that doesn’t have words to describe,” said godmother Marisol Castillo. “It’s a confusion and a shock and we just know so little.”

Luis Dela Cruz (left) who was working on his career as a rapper, was shot dead on Inwood street Thursday night as he walked with twin brother Andri (right). A memorial marks the tragic scene (below) as police hunt for the gunman.