New York.– Jesús Acosta, 31, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder for his alleged involvement in two shootings that occurred less than 48 hours apart at establishments in Brooklyn and the Bronx, where two men died and another was injured.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) arrested Jesús Acosta on the morning of Saturday, August 29, after several days of searching. Authorities link him to the deaths of 44-year-old MD Yousuf and 33-year-old Tayvon Shuler.
Jesús Acosta and shootings
The first incident occurred on Sunday, August 23, at America’s Best Wings and Pizza, located in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
According to the Police, Acosta allegedly shot Mohammed Rasel in the leg and then shot his coworker, MD Yousuf, in the head, who died as a result of his injuries.
Two days later, another attack occurred at 149 Grill, an establishment in the Bronx. Authorities maintain that Jesús Acosta entered the business shortly after midnight and fired at Tayvon Shuler, who was a customer at the location.
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Video surveillance footage showed the attacker subsequently heading behind the counter and taking money from the cash register. Shuler was transported to a hospital, where he passed away.
Capture of Jesús Acosta
Acosta was located in a park near the intersection of Watson Avenue and Morrison Avenue, in the Bronx, after authorities received an anonymous call to the 911 emergency system, according to Police reports.
Before the capture of Jesús Acosta, the FBI had offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to his location and arrest. United Bodegas of America had also announced a $10,000 reward.
The defendant had been on parole since April, after having served more than a decade in prison for a previous case related to assault and criminal possession of a weapon, according to reports on his judicial record.
Acosta will have to answer to justice for the charges filed against him. The accusations are part of a criminal proceeding and his responsibility will have to be determined by the courts.
