The Bronx District Attorney’s office moved forward with charges against three individuals involved in last week’s Throggs Neck shooting, unraveling details of an after hours spot full of drugs and ammunition.
Last Wednesday morning, Feb. 2, police took 18 people into custody and arrested 15, after shots went off at the 3789 E. Tremont Ave. store called Got it All, which was revealed to be the front for an illegal nightclub next to CVS. Two men suffered gunshot wounds and two suspects who fled the scene have yet to be arrested, as of Tuesday. A stray bullet flew through the gate at Willen Pharmacy across the street, cracking the window, which has since been repaired.
Police from the 45th Precinct cited criminal possession of a weapon for all of the 15 arrested, while two men — Jyier Johnson and Diandre Holder — were also arrested for criminal use of a firearm and reckless endangerment.
Among those arrested were the two store owners, Louis Nieves, 43 and Idalisse Suarez, 32. Their store, Got it All, is known for selling a wide assortment of items, from exercise equipment to televisions and baby clothes.
Authorities said they found three guns — a green .380 caliber, a black 9 mm pistol loaded with four live rounds and a silver BB gun — in the bathroom of the establishment.
The District Attorney pursued charges on just three people: Johnson, Holder and Nieves.
Nieves has been charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third and fifth degrees, both felonies, and in the seventh degree, a misdemeanor. He was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and criminal possession of a firearm, both felonies, and selling liquor without a license, a misdemeanor.
A safe containing crack and powder cocaine and approximately 300 pills of ecstasy, as well as 45 live .380 rounds, was found in Nieves’ office, according to a Feb. 3 criminal complaint.
Nieves, who lives in Hunts Point, allegedly said he opened up an after hours spot to make some money because the economy is bad. He rents the space, which is owned by Jiang Lei’s LLC, WTT Development, according to property records.
While he said he does not have a gun or liquor license, he claimed the guns were not his, according to the complaint. He allegedly said there were two groups of men fighting, and he took cover in his office when shots were fired.
According to another criminal complaint, Holder also said there was an argument between two groups, stemming from two men. Holder allegedly said he didn’t know why the men were fighting, as the music was loud, but he tried to get involved after a punch was thrown. He said one group was pushed upstairs, and someone was shot inside the store, per the complaint.
Holder allegedly said he then felt himself getting shot and threw himself onto the floor, before firing a round toward the outside while still inside, trying to protect himself. Although Holder said he wasn’t trying to hit anyone, according to the complaint, the deposition of a police officer investigating the incident states that Holder shot his gun at multiple individuals. The complaint also reads that it is possible that Holder shot himself.
Holder was charged with attempted murder in the second degree, attempted assault in the first degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and criminal possession of a firearm, all felonies.
Johnson also shot a gun at multiple individuals, according to the police officer’s deposition. He faces the same charges as Holder.
Throggs Neck Business Improvement District Executive Director Bob Jaen told the Bronx Times on Tuesday that while he gave the Got it All owners the benefit of the doubt, he will keep his eyes peeled if the store reopens, and so will the cops.
“I’m here to protect and serve my community and part of it is to see that you don’t bring the undesirables and the unmentionables and the negative flow of anything into the community,” Jaen said. “We want to keep this a good blue-collar mom and pop community where you can come and bring your family and have a dinner, have a night out, take your friends out, have a drink, buy some fresh pasta, buy some good fruits, organic, go into a liquor store and buy a bottle of wine to take home, without having to worry about getting abused or attacked in any way shape or form.”
The investigation is ongoing, an NYPD spokesperson told the Bronx Times on Tuesday.
According to the complaint, Nieves was convicted in February 2013 of menacing in the second degree.
Reach Aliya Schneider at aschneider@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260-4597. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes.
