Smith Houses homicide
On Sat., Sept. 26, at 5:44 a.m., police responded to a 911 call of a male shot inside the lobby area of 10 Catherine Slip, in the Smith Houses. Upon arrival, officers found a 19-year-old male, unconscious and unresponsive, with a gunshot wound to the head.
EMS medics responded to the location and transported the victim to New York Downtown Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The victim was identified as Nathaniel Szeto. The New York Post reported his nickname, “Chao,” and said he worked as an attorney’s assistant.
The Post quoted a friend of Szeto’s who said, “He went to high school, was in college… He was a very smart kid.”
As of Wednesday, police had not reported an arrest.
Video vandals
Police said that on Mon., Sept. 28, at 11 p.m., two men armed with a gun entered the VideoGamesNewYork store, at 202 E. Sixth St., struck the clerk on the head with the weapon, removed an undetermined amount of cash from the register and fled. The clerk was transported to Bellevue Hospital where he was treated and released.
The first suspect was described as 5-foot-6 and the second as 6-feet tall. Both were in their early 20s. One wore a blue baseball cap with the word “Dodgers” on it, an olive-colored hoodie and sunglasses. The gun wielder wore a black mask over his face, an orange baseball cap and a patterned grayish hoodie.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Police Department’s Crime Stoppers Hotline, at 800-577-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Web site, www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting them to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.
Stunning arrest
A woman came clean soon after police stopped a black car near the southwest corner of Horatio St. and Greenwich Ave. on Wed., Sept. 23. The stop began simply enough; the driver failed to use a turn signal at about 3 a.m. But police soon found that a passenger in the car was guilty of a more serious offense — possession of an illegal stun gun.
Police arrested Richard Yates, 32, who was listed in a police report as female, and charged her with criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor.
Citi Busted
Police said they caught a man with a stolen Citi Bike in front of 66 Bethune St. on Wed., Sept. 23. The alleged perpetrator was reportedly acting suspiciously in an alley when police arrived at 4 a.m. A search of the suspect turned up a crack pipe and a knife, according to police.
Akins Caresquero, 35, was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a weapon, a felony.
Heavily armed ninja?
A man was allegedly heavily armed in front of 149 Bleecker St. on Thurs., Sept. 24. Police said that they observed Tobois Larland, 23, using a taser in public view a few minutes before 1 a.m. They searched him and reportedly found a full arsenal in his possession, including seven retractable batons, three pairs of brass knuckles, one metal knuckle knife, two Chinese daggers, two belt knives, one butterfly knife, two neck knives, one gravity knife, one blow dart and one garrote. Police said he also had two grappling hooks, three lock-pick sets and 10 firecrackers, plus a bag of cocaine.
Wicked Willy’s bar is located at the address in front of which Larland was arrested.
The Queens resident received a full load of criminal charges to boot: felony criminal possession of a weapon; misdemeanor possession of burglary tools; misdemeanor possession of a dangerous instrument; criminal possession of a firearm, and a violation for unlawful possession of fireworks. A police report did not state any charges for the coke.
‘Triangle offense’
The other woman paid a price on Sat., Sept. 26, when her girlfriend’s wife attacked her at the Cubby Hole bar, at 281 W. 12th St. Police said the wife punched the third wheel in the face at 2:30 a.m., resulting in a cut and plenty of blood. The 45-year-old homewrecker identified the wife to police, adding that she drives a 2002 Ford Taurus.
Police arrested Jane Doe, 47, and charged her with misdemeanor assault. Her alleged victim refused medical attention.
— Zach Williams and Lincoln Anderson
