An acclaimed Irish filmmaker and photographer vanished in the Big Apple more than a week ago — and was possibly last spotted at a Queens beach.
Ross McDonnell, 44 – who won an Emmy award in 2021 for his cinematography on the Showtime series “The Trade” – was last seen leaving his home on Taaffe Place near DeKalb Avenue in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn around 8:30 p.m. Nov. 4, the NYPD said.
He may have been sighted at Fort Tilden Beach later that night or early the following morning, according to a circulating missing persons’ flyer.
McDonnell’s close friend, Gene Gallerano, told The Irish Times it appears that his pal” had been on the beach, “went out into the ocean” — and then disappeared.
“He was last seen last Saturday night; the alarm was sounded on Sunday. We don’t know much more than that,” Gallerano said. “It’s been a very, very emotionally heavy week.”
McDonnell’s bike was discovered locked at the beach on Tuesday, Nov. 7, according to the poster.
Investigators are looking to track down McDonnell’s red puffy North Face vest, black and white sneakers, dark-colored khaki pants and black north face backpack – “for clues about his disappearance.”
Despite his Brooklyn address, McDonnell, who is originally from Dublin, often travels abroad for work, according to The Irish Times.
His debut feature film, “Colony,” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the IDFA First Feature Award as well as an Irish Film and Television Award Nomination, according to an online bio.
He was also shortlisted for the world’s pre-eminent photography award “Prix Pictet” during its 2019 cycle, themed “Hope.”
McDonnell was also nominated for an Emmy in 2018 for his direction of the feature-length documentary “Elián,” produced by CNN Films, BBC and Jigsaw Productions.
Anyone with information in McDonnell’s disappearance is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips.