Terrorist Scare Inside Water Taxi Waiting Room
An unidentified witness reported to police that at 3:01 p.m. on Sunday, June 5, he observed a group of four to six similarly dressed men inside the New York Water Taxi waiting room occupied by numerous people inside 459 Twelfth Ave. at Pier 79 at West 40th St. The witness noticed that one of the men had a heavy bulge in his sweatshirt pocket, and he heard one of the group say, “Don’t shoot yet!” This caused the witness to believe that a possible mass shooting was about to occur. Police officers responded quickly and searched boats, docks and terminals but couldn’t find the group of men or anything suspicious.
Robbery Suspect Hits CVS Store Twice in Same Day
A 57-year-old male employee of the CVS Pharmacy at 500 West 23rd St. at Tenth Ave. told police that at 1:10 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, he saw a man – a known shoplifter – take items from a shelf and approached him. As he drew near, the suspect took out some pepper spray and sprayed it in the employee’s direction but fortunately missed him. The suspect then fled the store without paying. The stolen merchandise included 18 household items valued at $108.
Then at 5 p.m. on the same day in the same location a 43-year-old female employee said that same suspect had returned and was taking items from a shelf. She approached the man, telling him to leave, when he said, “Don’t f*cking touch me; I will f*cking spray you!” Again the suspect left the store without paying for the merchandise. The stolen items included 21 household goods valued at $238. Police are seeking Rodney Johnson for questioning.
Construction Fight
A 23-year-old man from Brooklyn said that at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 2, a fellow worker at a construction site at 601 West 29th St. at Eleventh Ave. made insulting remarks and then punched him in the face with a closed fist, causing two fractures to his jaw. The victim was treated at Mount Sinai West the following day, and Kevin Mendoza was arrested on June 6 and charged with assault.
Screaming Man Shoves Senior in Subway
Police reported that at 5:40 p.m. on Saturday, June 4, a 25-year-old male stranger shoved a 73-year-old Bronx man on the northbound A train platform inside the Eighth Ave. Line 14th St. Station. Prior to the incident the suspect had been yelling and screaming. The victim suffered pain and bruising to his right shoulder and was taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue for treatment. Police searched the neighborhood but couldn’t find the suspect.