Police: Thomas Abreu charged in murder of 86-year-old Hamod Saeidi, series of shootings across Brooklyn & Queens
NEW YORK -- Police have identified the man arrested in connection to a series of shootings in Queens and Brooklyn on Saturday.
Twenty-five-year-old Thomas Abreu, of Brooklyn, has been charged with murder, two counts of attempted murder and six counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
Police say just after 11 Saturday morning, Abreu began a shooting rampage that spanned about 30 minutes and six different locations from Richmond Hill, Queens, to Cypress Hills, Brooklyn, firing at random.
Four people were struck by bullets: a 21-year-old man was shot in the shoulder, an 86-year-old man was shot in the back, a 44-year-old man was shot in the face and a 63-year-old man was shot in the shoulder.
The 86-year-old victim, identified as Hamod Saeidi, of Queens, was pronounced dead at Jamaica Hospital.
The 44-year-old victim was last reported to be in critical condition, and the 21-year-old and 63-year-old victims are both in stable condition.
Saeidi's family is processing this sudden and random tragedy.
"My heart is broken and my family, all devastated ... We couldn't believe what's happening," said Ahmed Alsaedi, the victim's son.
Watch Kristie Keleshian's report
Alsaedi says his father was going to a mosque to pray when he was shot.
"We all work hard. We never have any problem, and look what happened to him. He ended up getting killed for no reason," Alsaedi said.
Abdul Aziz Elmulaiki works at a deli across the street and heard the gunfire. He ran to help Saeidi while he was on the ground.
"I feel nervous. I feel like something's wrong, like he was gonna come to us. I tried to get down behind the deli ... The best thing you could do was only call 911. That's it. That's all we could do," he said.
Saeidi's family tells us he's a father of six who came to the United States from Yemen.
"He's a cheerful man. He liked to joke a lot ... He has a lot of friends," Alsaedi said. "The system right now, it needs to be reevaluated. Because what's going on and the crime in New York City, it just, it just-- unbelievable."
Police say officers spotted Abreu around 1:10 p.m. Saturday and took him into custody without incident. Officers found a 9mm pistol with an extended magazine inside his scooter, which police say did not have a license plate.
"I need justice ... It's not only us. There are some other victims that are looking for justice," Alsaedi said.
Saeidi's family is arranging memorial services and says a protest is planned for Monday at the location where he was killed.
