Crime Blotter: Hate Crimes, Shootings, Robberies and more

The New York City Police Department has arrested Joseph Russo, 27, of 76th Street in Brooklyn and charged him with Assault as a Hate Crime and  Aggravated Harassment as a Hate Crime in the following incident.

It was reported to police that on Monday, April 5, 2021, at approximately 11:15 am, in front of the ‘J&R NY Supermarket’ located at 1406 Avenue U (61 Precinct), a 77-year-old Asian man was looking at vegetables for sale when he was approached by an unknown individual.

The individual intentionally pushed the man to the ground and kept walking, with no words exchanged. The individual then headed east on Avenue U. Although the victim sustained bruising to his left arm, he refused medical attention. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force has been notified in regard to this incident.

The New York City Police Department is asking the public’s assistance in identifying the following individuals.

For anti-Asian Aggravated Harassment (75 Precinct):

On Friday, March 26, at approximately 1940 hours, inside the Home Depot (579 Gateway Drive) an unidentified individual approached a 28-year-old male victim and his 28-year-old girlfriend and made anti-Asian statements, before picking up a piece of wood, stating, “I’ll cut you,” cops inform. He then left through the front door to parts unknown.

The individual is described as a 20 to 30-years-old man with a dark complexion, approximately 5’9″ tall, with a thin build and black, close-cut hair. He was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, sweat pants, and black sneakers.

There were no physical injuries incurred as a result of the incident and the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident.

Assault / Hate Crime (61 Precinct):

It was reported to police that on Monday, March 22, at approximately 07:45 am, in front of 1308 Kings Highway, a 32-year-old Asian woman was approached by an unknown individual who grabbed her and pulled her hair, causing pain to her head and neck.

The male individual then relinquished his grip and walked away from the victim, along Kings Highway.

No words were exchanged during the incident and no property was removed. The victim refused medical attention at the scene. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force has been notified in regard to this incident.

The individual is described as an adult male, light complexion, with a medium build, brown eyes and black hair, with a beard and mustache. He was last seen wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, blue pants and black sneakers.

Robbery (75th Precinct):

On March 27, 2021, at approximately 5:50 pm, the individuals seen in the video met with the 43-year-old victim at his residence in the vicinity of Norwood Avenue and Etna Street in order to sell them a gold chain he had put on Facebook Market Place. Once inside, one of the individuals displayed a firearm and removed two gold chains from the victim.

Shooting (79th Precinct):

On March 25, at 5:30 pm in front of 482 Tompkins Avenue, two individuals discharged their firearms at a 19-year-old man who was sitting in an auto. The victim was struck in the hand and taken to Interfaith Medical Center in stable condition. Cops are looking for two suspects in relation to the shooting.

Attempted robbery and assault (84 Precinct):

On Monday, February 15, at 09:25 am, inside of NYC subway station located at the corner of Hoyt Street and Fulton Avenue, a 40-year-old man was standing on the Manhattan-bound platform when he was approached by four unknown individuals.

The individuals engaged the victim in a verbal dispute, pushed him to the ground and repeatedly kicked him, cops inform. The victim sustained bruising to his face and a laceration to his hand. EMS transported the victim to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he was treated and released. There was no property taken. The individuals are described as follows:

Individual #1: Adult, female, light complexion with dark hair. She was last seen wearing a black jacket, blue jeans, a black sweatshirt, black baseball cap and sneakers.

Individual #2: Adult, male, dark complexion, medium build, bald. He was last seen wearing a grey sweat jacket, black pants and grey boots.

Individual #3: Adult, female, dark complexion. She was last seen wearing a black three-quarter-length jacket, blue jeans, black boots, and a black knit cap.

Individual #4: Adult, male, dark complexion, medium build, full beard, and black hair. He was last seen wearing a black hooded jacket, blue jeans, and tan work boots.

Robbery (67 Precinct):

It was reported to police that on Monday, April 5, at approximately 5:00 pm, inside of a laundromat located at 5712 Clarendon Road, an unknown female individual engaged a 47-year-old female laundromat employee in a dispute and proceeded to go behind the counter without permission or authority to do so.

The unknown female then proceeded to remove a bottle of detergent and struck the victim with the bottle in the face multiple times, causing the victim to fall to the ground. The victim sustained swelling and bruising to the face but refused medical attention. The unknown individual fled with a cart from the laundromat to parts unknown.

Shooting (75 Precinct):

On April 5, at approximately 5:45 pm, an individual exited a Nissan four-door sedan in the vicinity of Dumont Avenue and Montauk Avenue and displayed a firearm, cops inform.

The individual then proceeded to discharge the firearm at an unknown man, grazing a 5-year-old girl that was in the vicinity of New Lots Avenue and Montauk Avenue.

The individual fled in the Nissan westbound on New Lots Avenue. EMS responded and transported the victim to an area hospital where she was treated and released.

Robbery (60 Precinct):

On March 23, at approximately 12:20 pm, a man approached the 82-year-old victim inside of 3030 Brighton 12 Street as she stood inside the elevator.  The individual proceeded to forcibly remove the victim’s bag, which contained $250 in cash, and left when the elevator stopped at the 4th floor.

Attempted robbery (70 Precinct):

On Sunday March 28, 2021, at approximately 6:05 pm, in front of 2294 Bedford Avenue, an unknown man approached a 56-year-old man as he walked down the street and demanded his cell phone.As the victim attempted to walk away, the unknown individual produced two knives and proceeded to slash the victim in the left arm causing a deep laceration. The individual fled, on foot, westbound on Tilden Avenue toward Church Avenue. The victim was transported to NYC Health + Hospitals / Kings County in stable condition.The individual is described as a light-skinned male, approximately 30-35 years of age, 5’8″ – 5’9″ tall, 160lbs – 170lbs, and was last seen wearing a black jacket, black pants, black sneakers, and a dark-colored baseball cap.

Home invasion robbery (77 Precinct):

On March 26, 2021, at approximately 06:05 am the individual gained access to the victims’ residence in the vicinity of Kingston Avenue and Pacific Street and knocked on the door.

Once the door was opened, the individual pushed his way inside and punched one of the victims in the face. He then proceeded to remove a Samsung Galaxy S20 cell phone and a PS4-Sony Controller and fled.

Series of burglaries (94 Precinct):

Incident #1: Jewelry was stolen from a residence in the vicinity of Jewel Street and Norman Avenue on Thursday, March 11, 2021, around 6:30 pm.

Incident #2: Electronics were stolen from a residence in the vicinity of Calyer Street and Lorimer Street sometime between Wednesday, March 17 and Friday, March 19.

Incident #3: Jewelry was stolen from a residence in the vicinity of Conselyea Street and Union Avenue on Thursday, March 25, around 4:00 pm.

Incident #4: Jewelry was stolen from a residence in the vicinity of Moultrie Street and Norman Avenue on Thursday, April 1.

Incident #5: Jewelry was stolen from a residence in the vicinity of Jewel Street and Norman Avenue on Thursday, April 1.

Surveillance photo from the vicinity of Incident #5, after the incident, shows the man NYPD hopes to locate in connection to the above incidents.

Anyone with information in regard to these incidents 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 Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

Arrest (71 Precinct):

NYPD have arrested John Headly, 32, of Carroll Street in Brooklyn, and charged him with Murder and Criminal Possession of a Weapon on 4/3/21, in connection to the death of Kern Baird, 37, of Junius Street in Brooklyn on December 12 of last year.