A party-crasher shot a 26-year-old woman to death at a surprise birthday bash in Queens early Sunday, police and witnesses said.

Avalisa Morris was shot through a basement door she was guarding to prevent the uninvited guest from getting back into the St. Albans home, her sister and friends said.

Police said Morris, who lives in Queens, was hit in the head and abdomen.

"There was a fight," said her sister, Larrissa Whyte, who also attended the party.

"She was at the door, and the people that were fighting went outside. And she closed the door and she was standing by the door to make sure that they didn't come back in."

Shortly before 4:30 a.m., two gunshots rang out from the basement level of the two-story home on 119th Rd., police said.

"Everybody ran up the stairs to come out the front door," Whyte said. "I was looking for her, and somebody said she got shot. So I went downstairs."

Whyte cried as she recalled finding her sibling lying on the floor, just inside the doorway. Morris died at the scene.

Several people at the party described the suspect as a tall man and said he may have had a prior dispute with someone at the party. Police did not immediately release a description of the shooter, who is still at large.

Whyte said she has no idea who the mystery party-crasher was.

"There were so many people fighting, I don't know who did what," she said. "One minute everyone was just dancing and enjoying themselves, and another minute, everyone just started fighting."

A friend of the party's host said most of the people at the bash work together at the Green Acres Shopping Mall in Valley Stream, L.I.

"We're all friends. Everybody I know in there works nine to five," he said outside the home as police investigated the murder. "There aren't any gangsters in there."

"This is a house party. This is supposed to be safe," he raged. "This isn't a club."



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2011/02/06/2011-02-06_woman_shot_at_birthday_bash_by_party_crasher.html#ixzz1DDcSPFmL