Son slain wks. after his 21st b’day party

A heartbroken East Harlem mom, barely three weeks after throwing a 21st birthday party for her oldest son, wept in disbelief after his slaying in a street shootout early Tuesday.

“He told me, ‘Mom, I’ll be right back,’ “recounted Melody Villot after the killing of her son Tyquan Hardnett.

Police say he died in a gunfight with an adversary on E. 126th St. near Lexington Ave. just past 1 a.m. after stepping out of his family’s apartment.

“He loved me so much,” said the grieving mother. “He cared so much about me. ... I didn’t work this hard for my son to die like this.”

According to police, Hardnett and a second man traded bullets in a confrontation that ended with his death as the other shooter stumbled off with gunshot wounds to the groin and right shoulder.

The surviving victim, found by cops who were steered by a 911 call to 124th St. and Madison Ave., was connected to the shooting by surveillance video, police said.

He was taken in stable condition to Harlem Hospital, the same facility where Hardnett died from gunshot wounds under both arms, police said.

Hardnett’s teary uncle Carlos Rodriguez, 30, said his nephew left the apartment after a phone call from a friend and never made it back. He was about a half mile from home when he was shot.

“I want to know what brought this on,” said Rodriguez. “What in the world could my nephew have done where someone could fear enough to make them use a gun in this situation? We want him to be seen as the young man he was, which was an awesome young man.”

Hardnett was the oldest of Villot’s three children. A weapon was recovered at the scene, although police were unsure of its ownership.

“He was outgoing and fun,” Villot said of Hardnett. “But he could be serious, too. He was a respectful. He will help you with bags. He’d never curse in front of an adult.”

Police said Hardnett had multiple sealed arrests on his record — plus a menacing bust from two years ago and two open warrants.

The victim’s mother recalled her slain son’s joyous 21st birthday celebration, a surprise party held at the Aloft Harlem hotel.

“He partied so much,” said Villot. “It was crazy. He literally partied the whole time, until I told him it was time to go.”

His two younger siblings were devastated by Hardnett’s death, with his 6-year-old brother crying and paralyzed with sadness, said Villot. She knows what her slain son would want now, but she can’t fulfill his final wish. “He’d want me not to be hurting right now,” she said. “We were so close. Everybody’s hurting now.”