Video: Failed Robbery Descends Into Murder

The NYPD released a chilling surveillance camera video of a Queens botched robbery that turned into murder. In July, Barri Jahoor, 35, a welder and part-time cabbie, was found shot in the torso in his SUV near Liberty Ave. and 135th St. in Ozone Park. The attack took place close to 7 a.m. that morning, so the entire unfolding narrative can be viewed clearly in the video below. "What you are seeing is indeed a botched robbery," a police source told the Daily News.

Jahoor was waiting to pick someone up outside an all-night party at a barbershop. The video begins with a suspect, wearing a grey shirt and a baseball cap over a doo-rag, loitering on the street corner. He then approaches Jahoor's parked SUV and attempts to rob him, while a second suspect, wearing baggy short and a dark baseball cap, acts as lookout nearby. Two good Samaritans see the robbery, and rush over to help; the lookout gets nervous and runs toward the car. Both suspects fire shots, wounding one of the good Samaritans. "At that point the perps could have taken off," the police source said.

Instead, one walks back to the car and shoots Jahoor; the two suspects then flee around the corner, where a getaway driver is waiting for them in a white Mercedes. Cops are searching for the two suspects, and are encouraging anonymous tipsters to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Ben Yakas in News on August 27, 2010 11:43 AM

Comments [rss]

Kreo

this looks more like a drug deal gone bad, or a precalculated and planned hold up with the victim known to the attackers. It does not look like a random hold up at all, with three guys in a fancy car stopping a block away to rob some random car driver.

kazubes

Does anyone else find it tasteless that the Daily News chooses to monetize the video of a murder being released for help from the public by running advertisements against it?

Brooklyn

I've had the pleasure of riding the length of Liberty Avenue. Bomb craters are more livable.

Guest

happened to shout "liberty, at last!" at the end?

izsosick

which brings about the point, would you want to be watched at all times? or have at least some sense of freedom to go about without being watched at all?

bmfesq

Excellent example of why city should copy London's camera surveillance network. These guys will be caught within hours.

John L

Looks well planned, but badly executed, and a Mercedes get away car? Maybe it was a hit? Or they knew that the driver of the SUV had a large sum of money on him or jewelry. Either way this doesn't seem like your typical robbery and the Mercedes doesn't seem like a typical getaway car.

ocm123

You'll be surprised to see the type of cars some of these lowlifes have.

yamon

Personnally I would prefer gangsta's and ass't thugs to NOT know how to lay down accurate fire with their gunz. Though at point blank range it doesn't really matter I suppose....