Police are searching for three men who allegedly shot a 64-year-old father and pistol-whipped his son while robbing the family's supply shop on Monday morning.
According to an NYPD spokesperson, the trio of robbers—dressed in dark suits and and glasses—stuck up the Garden Valley Distribution shop at 101st Avenue near 99th Street in Ozone Park at around 10 a.m. yesterday. The owner of the family business, which mainly distributes tobacco products to other convenience stores, was shot in the head by one of the thieves, police said. He is currently in critical condition at Jamaica Hospital.
In video obtained by NBC New York, the victim's son can be seen chasing off the robbers with a set of nunchucks following the shooting. Police said the son sustained bruises and lacerations to his face and head, and was treated on the scene.
The broad daylight shooting set off a panic in the Queens neighborhood, and sent dozens running from an adjacent nail salon, according to NBC. "We heard a big bang, you could literally feel the wall of the nail salon, it vibrated a little bit," Areefa Hussain told the station. "We were like, 'Maybe someone fell or fell against the wall.'"
"I'm afraid that they're going to come get me next, that's the honest truth," Nitesh Singh, an employee at the nearby 101 Cafe, told ABC News.
"I've been here living for two years and it's shocking, like wow... but who knows what's going on around here," added neighbor Samy Maldonado.
Police have not identified any suspects—we'll update as more information becomes available.
