The NYPD has released a surveillance photo of a suspect who inflicted such a vicious beating at a Jamaica pawn shop Monday, investigators initially believed the victim had been shot in the head.
Detectives have determined that the 60-year-old owner of the Global Pawn Shop, located at 178-22 Jamaica Ave., was beaten in the head with a blunt object multiple times by his assailant, police said.
Officers from the 103rd Precinct in Jamaica responded to a 911 call of an assault in progress inside the pawn shop just before 1 p.m. Monday and found the victim with severe head trauma.
EMS responded to the crime scene and transported the victim to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where doctors revealed that the victim was suffering from blunt force trauma, police said.
The victim remains in critical condition at Jamaica Hospital.
A witness named Hassin, who didn’t want his last name divulged, said the victim was the owner of the pawn shop whom he has known for at least six years.
“He’s a really good guy. A really good guy, a good friend. He must have known the gunman because he let him in the door,” Hassin said. “If he doesn’t know you he does business from a window. He buzzed him in through the door so he must’ve known the shooter. That’s what really got me. I hope he’s gonna be all right.”
Police say the assailant fled the pawn shop westbound on Jamaica Avenue. He is described as 5’7” tall, around 150 pounds with a medium build and a medium complexion.
The suspect was last seen wearing a dark blue hooded jacket, a black face mask, dark green pants, black shoes, a green Adidas baseball cap with a white logo and a black backpack.
Anyone with information in regard to the identity of the suspects is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
Additional reporting by Lloyd Mitchell.
