Uncle, Nephew Arrested After Duane Reade Shooting, Robbery Spree
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Two people were arrested Tuesday after crime spree that left a Queens store manager badly hurt.
Watch: NYPD On Arrest Of Duane Reade Shooting Suspect
Investigators say he shot the 49-year-old manager in the head and in his left hand during a struggle at the cash register.
Police say the suspect then robbed three other stores, including a Rite Aid and another at a 7/11, getting away with about $1,200.
Elgin Brack, 22, and his uncle Scott Brack, 50, were arrested. Scott Brack, who previously served time for robbery and attempted murder, lives in the Bronx. Elgin has three prior arrests.
"A total of four hits in just over two to three hours," said NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea.
The Duane Reade manager, who was found by a man making a delivery to the store after the shooting, was taken to Elmhurst Hospital in critical condition but has since been upgraded to stable.
GOT HIM. The subject wanted for shooting a sales clerk while committing a series of armed commercial robberies in #Queens has been APPREHENDED. Great work & collaboration among @ATFNewYork ATF/SPARTA TF, DBQN/QS, DA Eastern District & all involved. pic.twitter.com/rzmfxsx59g
— Chief Kenneth Corey (@NYPDChiefOfDept) November 27, 2018
Earlier Tuesday, authorities released surveillance video of Elgin Brack.
Scott Brack is believed to have been Elgin's getaway driver, Shea said.
Shea touted the police work involved in bringing the two into custody, adding authorities have recovered a firearm.
"In such a short order, to bring this to a conclusion, and to get these two violent people off the streets," said Shea. "Some violent individuals, arrests out of state as well as in state. Some real good stuff here."
"Four robberies by one team in one night is a little out of the ordinary, so it's good that we got on it as quickly as we did," Shea said. "Commits the first robbery, shoots an individual, essentially leaves him to die - thankfully he did not. And then goes on in a short period to rob three additional stores. So this is who we're dealing with."
The two will appear in Brooklyn federal court this afternoon.
"It would not surprise me at all if we connected them to other crimes," Shea said. "One of the two individuals has had an interesting year in 2018, and his name has come up in other investigations."
The two suspects were picked up by the SPARTA - Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery and Technical Apprehension - task force, a joint NYPD and ATF operation.