A Staten Island man who allegedly went on a killing spree, carjacked a Hummer and turned the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge toll plaza into a shooting range now faces a slew of charges, police said Thursday.
Tyrell Brown, 25, was arrested nearly three days after he allegedly shot two men to death and stole the pricey SUV. Brown was released from prison in May after being convicted of robbery charges several years before, said a law enforcement official.
On Sunday, Brown allegedly shot and killed 23-year-old Devon Powell in Mariners Harbor, police said. Powell was shot in the head at about 4:50 a.m. on Sunday in front of a bus stop on Arlington Place, police said.
Just minutes after, Brown allegedly shot and killed 40-year-old Kuwan Collins in the head on Britton Avenue, police said. Collins was walking with a friend toward a car when the shots rang out.
The same 9 mm handgun was used to shoot both men, police said.
About an hour later, Brown allegedly brandished his gun at a 29-year-old man and stole his 2006 black Hummer, police said. Brown allegedly demanded money and forced the man to lay on the ground behind an apartment building on Holland Avenue in Mariners Harbor..
Early Monday, Brown allegedly drove the SUV across the Verrazano Bridge and was spotted by MTA Bridge and Tunnel officers, who recognized the car from an alert. They ordered him to stop at about 1:15 a.m., authorities said.
He initially did stop, police said, but then allegedly sped off, breaking through the roadblock and wooden toll barrier and hitting another car with someone inside.
His girlfriend, 24-year-old Chineida Lopez, got out of the car and was arrested before Brown allegedly fled with officers firing several shots at him, officials said.
The Hummer was so damaged it was inoperable, police said, and so Brown allegedly ditched it before fleeing into a wooded area.
Shortly before he was captured on Tuesday, Brown allegedly jumped into a parked and running Honda Civic, but was unable to drive off since it was a stick shift, police said. He quickly got out and ran at about 9:40 p.m., police said. Brown was picked up at about 10:30 Tuesday evening in Mariners Harbor, police said.
Brown is charged with several offenses, including second-degree murder, robbery, attempted assault and criminal use of a firearm, police said. He was awaiting arraignment Thursday evening and could not be reached for comment.
Lopez was charged with fifth degree criminal possession of stolen property and unauthorized use of a vehicle in the third degree, court records show. Lopez, who could not be reached for comment, was released without bail on Tuesday, according to a spokesman with the Staten Island district attorney’s office.
Brown has a lengthy history of violence, including arrests for robbery and weapons possession, police said.
