Police: Suspect In 2 Violent Robberies At Manhattan Shops Arrested
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Police say they have arrested a man in connection to a violent crime spree in Manhattan.
Investigators say 61-year-old Rickey Hayes, of Newark, struck at least twice. In each instance, police say he brutally attacked his victims. The latest incident happened at Reno Fashion on LaGuardia Place.
The two store employees who were assaulted ended up in the hospital in serious but stable condition.
The 66-year-old man and 88-year-old woman can be seen on store surveillance video trying to fight back. Police say Hayes hit the man on the head with several glass jars and a ceramic pot.
Just about an hour before, police say Hayes carried out a similar attack at Seward Park Liquors on the Lower East Side. According to the clerk, around 12:45 p.m. the suspect attempted to buy a mini bottle of Fireball before becoming violent.
Video shows the suspect first threatening a store employee with a wine bottle, then following the victim, taking wine bottles off a shelf and throwing them at the 42-year-old man.
"At least 10 bottles, he was throwing bottles like crazy," said John DeBlasio, Seward Park Liquors. "He was out of his mind, evidently he was a loose cannon."
DeBlasio couldn't bring himself to watch the video because the man being attacked in it is his son, who fortunately wasn't hurt.
Police say Hayes was taken into custody Sunday night and transferred to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue for a psychiatric evaluation. Sources say he was arrested for a petit larceny incident at Macy's in Herald Square and is now facing a laundry list of charges, including multiple counts of robbery and assault.