Man Kills co-worker, then himself, at home depot
An employee at a Home Depot store in Manhattan argued with a co-worker before fatally shooting him and then killing himself on Sunday, police said, sending panicked workers and shoppers rushing to get away from the gunfire.
The 31-year-old man entered the store on West 23rd Street around 2:45 p.m. He exchanged words with a 38-year-old co-worker in the store’s lighting section and then pulled out a gun, shooting the other man in the abdomen and chest, police said. The man was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The gunman then shot himself in the head, said New York Police Department Capt. Steven Wren. It was unclear what the argument was about, and no identifications were released. A gun was recovered at the scene.
Wren said about 70 employees were in the store, but no one else was injured.
Sigourney Rodriguez, who works nearby, was taking a cigarette break when she saw about 100 people running out of the store. “You hear gunshots, you’re going to run,” she said.
Rodriguez heard store employees saying, “He’s dead, I tell you he’s dead.”
The Home Depot, though smaller than a suburban outpost of the chain, is a megastore by Manhattan standards, and popular with many neighborhood residents.
“This is a beautiful neighborhood and a great store,” said Sara Vogeler, who lives on the next block. “We just bought our Christmas lights here not too long ago. It’s shocking!”
Home Depot issued a statement saying, “We’re deeply saddened by this tragedy. We are fully cooperating with the authorities on their investigation of what appears to have been an isolated incident.”
Backpack Jack
A security guard was apparently no match for three shoplifters. At 2:14 p.m. on Sunday, January 18, three men entered the MCM store at 100 Greene Street, removed a number of backpacks off the shelf, and put them on their backs. The trio then left through the front door after the merchandise security sensors set off the alarm by the door. A security guard was posted by the front door but was unable to stop the thieves, and a police canvass of the area came up negative as well. Video is available of the incident. The stolen items were a Special Edition large backpack valued at $1,435, a white Stark medium backpack tagged at $685, a Stark M medium backpack valued at $835, a Strumbel medium backpack priced at $2,095, and a Jaede cap tagged at $385, making a total of $5,435.
Ricky Sticky
Sticky-fingered shoplifters continue to plague stores in SoHo. At 5:23 p.m. on Friday, January 16, property was removed from a shelf in the Ralph Lauren store at 109 Prince Street by a man who then fled northbound on Greene Street. Video is available of the theft. The item stolen was a Ralph Lauren Soft Ricky bag valued at $2,500.
Hard Dey’s Night
The break-and-take burglar struck again. At 2:45 a.m. on Thursday, January 15, a man smashed the front glass door of the Arome bodega at 7 Dey Street with an unknown object. He then entered through the broken door and stole $1,600 in cash from two registers before fleeing on foot eastbound on Dey Street and then southbound on Broadway. Police searched the area but were unable to collar the thief. Video exists of the break-in.
Sneaker Sneaks
High-end sneakers proved a tempting target to thieves in two separate incidents at the same store. At 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, two young men, ages 17 and 18, purchased items from the Balenciaga store at 149 Mercer Street using forged gift cards. The duo had also purchased items from a Zara shop using a forged gift card. Lamark Mulligan and D’Andre Lewis were arrested January 14 and charged with grand larceny. They were found to be in possession of the stolen items as well as multiple forged gift cards. The merchandise stolen and recovered from the Balenciaga store were two pairs of sneakers each valued at $665, making a total of $1,330.
Then at 6:40 p.m. on Saturday, January 17, another young man was apprehended after attempting to pay for merchandise at that same Balenciaga store using another forged instrument. Video is available of the incident. Vernal N. McLean was arrested January 17 and charged with grand larceny. The items stolen and recovered were yet another two pairs of those same sneakers valued at $665, making a total of $1,330.