Duane Reade Worker Shot In The Head In Robbery Gone Wrong; Gunman At Large
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A Duane Reade employee was shot in the head in what is being described as a robbery gone bad early Monday morning in Queens.
It happened around 3:30 a.m. on Roosevelt Avenue on 60th Street in the Woodside section of Queens.
It all started as the suspect, carrying some goods for purchase, approached the victim, 49, who was working behind the counter.
The victim started to ring up the goods. When he opened the register, the suspect ran behind the counter and shot the victim in the hand.
The two then struggled for the gun, and the victim was shot in the head.
Police say the gunman fled the store and was not wearing a mask.
The suspect was wearing a green and black jacket, black jeans and white sneakers.
Police sources say they have linked the suspect two at least two other commercial robberies in the area, including one at a Rite Aid and another at a 7/11.
The additional robberies took place after the shooting - the 7/11 was robbed at 3:55 a.m. and the Rite Aid robbery took place at 4:15 a.m.
The victim was found by a man making a delivery to the store after the shooting.
Police said the store employee was listed in critical but stable condition at Elmhurst Hospital.
"So scary, so sad," a woman told CBS2's Scott Rapoport.
"Of course I'm scared. This neighborhood is usually very safe," one area resident told CBS2's Scott Rapoport.