Thief hits locations
in Astoria and LIC
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
Cops are looking for an
armed thief who robbed 12 people
at gunpoint on six different
occasions in Astoria and Long
Island City.
The suspect began his spree
on Aug. 7. At 3:15 a.m. that day,
the suspect entered iKraveit
Foods, located at 34-02 30th
St., pulled out a black firearm
and demanded cash from the
two store employees. When the
employees didn’t comply, the
suspect forcibly removed their
cellphones before fleeing the
scene on 30th Street. No injuries
were reported as a result of
this incident.
The crook struck again one
month later on Sept. 6. At 1:45
a.m., a 21-year-old woman and
a 21-year old man were walking
in Astoria Park near 23rd
Road and 19th Street when the
suspect approached them, displayed
a silver handgun and demanded
money. When the man
refused to comply, the suspect
struck him in the head with the
gun, causing a laceration.
The crook proceeded to
forcibly take a necklace worth
$1,500 and an iPhone from
the female victim before fleeing
westbound further into
the park. EMS responded to
the scene and took the male
victim to Mount Sinai Hospital,
where he was treated
and released.
At 3:20 a.m. on Sept. 7, the
suspect approached a 22-yearold
man who was sitting in his
car parked on Crescent Street.
After tapping on the passenger
side window with a silver
handgun, the suspect put his
hands on the victim’s head.
The crook then took $100 and
a cell hone before fleeing in an
unknown direction. No injuries
were reported as a result of
the incident.
The thief struck again on
Photos courtesy of the NYPD
Sept. 8. At 3:40 a.m., five individuals
were sitting on a
stoop on 27th Avenue when
the suspect approached them,
displayed a black handgun and
demanded money. When one of
the individuals, a 41-year-old
man, stated that he didn’t have
any money, the crook struck
the victim in the head, causing
a laceration.
The suspect then made the
individuals lay on the ground
while he forcibly removed $800
worth of jewelry, two watches,
one cellphone and $400 cash.
The suspect then fled the
scene northbound on 27th
Street. EMS responded to the
incident and transported the
male victim to Cornell Medical
Center, where he was treated
and released.
The pattern continued at 5
a.m. on Sept. 12. At this time,
a man was walking in Astoria
Park near the pool when the
crook approached him, displayed
a black handgun and
demanded money. When the
victim grabbed for the gun,
which went off with a projectile
hitting the ground. A struggle
ensued, causing the suspect
to strike the victim about the
head and face with the firearm,
causing lacerations and bruising
to the victim.
The suspect then fled the
scene to the corner of 23rd Road
and 19th Street. EMS responded
to the scene and transported
the victim to NYC Health and
Hospitals/Elmhurst, where he
was treated and released.
Finally, at 6:15 a.m. on Sept.
15, a 17-year-old man was sitting
in his car parked on 29th Avenue
when the suspect tapped on
his driver’s side window with a
silver handgun. After instructing
the victim to roll down his
window, the suspect demanded
the victim’s property.
Read more at QNS.com.
Law extends wait for guns
FBI gets suffi cient time for background checks
Guns on a show-window of shop. Weapon Photo via Getty Images
BY BILL PARRY
New York State’s gun
laws are considered to be the
toughest in the nation and
they got even tougher on Sept.
12 when state Senator Michael
Gianaris’ law that will
keep guns out of the wrong
hands by extending the time
limit for background checks
was enacted.
Previously, gun dealers
were required to hold off on
the sale of handguns, shotguns
or rifles for three days if
the background check system
returned a “delayed” notification
but now the new law extends
the time limit of thirty
days to allow additional scrutiny
and follow up by the FBI.
“Common sense gun safety
reform will save lives, period.
Stronger background checks
will help keep guns away from
dangerous people,” Gianaris
said. “I am proud to have written
some of America’s toughest
gun safety laws and to be
part of a new New York Senate
which prioritizes the safety
of our families and schools. I
am glad this (has taken) effect
and will spare people heartache
and tragedy.”
Nearly 10 percent of the
background checks for gun
purchases using the National
Instant Criminal Background
Check System, including those
following the universal background
check system in New
York as required under the NY
SAFE Act, do not come back
as either “proceed” or “deny.”
They come back designated as
“delayed” and the case is referred
to an FBI examiner for
additional investigation to determine
if the buyer is one of
9 categories of prohibited purchaser.
Prior to the law taking
effect, if the background check
did not come back with a clear
“proceed” or “deny” designation
after three business days,
the buyer would have been
provided the firearm at the
dealer’s discretion.
“While the federal government
turns a blind eye to the
scourge of gun violence ripping
our nation apart and continues
to allow this bloodshed
to take parents and children
away from their families, in
New York we have taken actions,”
Cuomo said. “This
year we built on our strongest
in the nation gun laws, including
extending the background
check waiting period to keep
guns out of the hands of dangerous
individuals. The long
overdue law goes into effect
and make no mistake: it will
save lives. This year we also
enacted a Red Flag law and
closed a loophole so law enforcement
has more tools to
keep firearms out of the hands
of dangerously mentally
ill people.”
As he concluded, Cuomo
took a shot at Republican innaction
on gun control issues
as mass shooting attacks continue
to torment innocent
Americans across the nation..
“This is the progress we
could make at the national
level if President Trump and
Senate Republicans stop kowtowing
to the NRA,” Cuomo
said. “We know we can do it,
we have already done it in
New York. It is time for the
federal government to act and
pass universal background
checks now. Until we do,
these senseless tragedies will
only continue.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by email at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4538.
TIMESLEDGER,QNS.COM SEPT. 20-26, 2019 3
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