Francesco “Franky Boy” Cali — the purported head of the Gambino crime family — is dead.

The mobster was fatally shot Wednesday outside his Staten Island home.

The murder makes him the highest-ranking NY mob figure in years to get whacked.

According to the New York Post, Franky took several bullets in the torso around 9:20 p.m. A witness who called emergency services reported at least 6 shots. The 53-year-old kingpin was pronounced dead at Staten Island University Hospital North.

Franky’s neighbor, 58-year-old “Salvatore,” told The New York Times he heard about 7 rounds go boom.

“I just heard the pow-pow-pow-pow-pow,” he recounted.

No arrest has been made.

The notorious boss ascended to power in 2015, replacing 68-year-old Domenico Cefalu.

As per the Post, Franky was known for his low profile, unlike showy former Gambino boss John Gotti.

A police source explained:

“He was a real quiet old-school boss.”

Fox News noted the historical significance and context of the murder:

Cali, who had roots in Sicily and ties to the Sicilian Mafia, was the highest-ranking organized crime figure to be murdered in New York City since 1985, when Paul Castellano was assassinated outside Sparks Steakhouse in Manhattan, according to WPIX-TV.

Periodically, organized crime makes the news — in October, James “Whitey” Bulger was murdered in prison, in a style clearly indicating a mob hit (here).

Yet, despite the ice-cold sinisterness of the mafia, no reported syndicate crime — so far as I’m aware — approaches the evil recently endorsed by the murderous organizations known as the New York and Virginia state governments (here, here, and here).

-Alex

Relevant RedState links in this article: here, here, here, and here.

See 3 more pieces from me: Mickey goes gay, a man models nighties, and the vengeance of the po-po.

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