Harrowing video shows the moment a man eating alone in a Washington Heights fish restaurant was shot in the head during an armed stickup.
The violent incident occurred at the Seafood King Fish Market at Broadway and West 163rd Street just before 2 am Wednesday, when the 37-year-old victim was having a late-night dinner at the counter.
Footage released by the NYPD shows a masked robber pointing a distinctive blue-colored handgun just inches from the back of the customer’s head as he sits hunched over.
Even though the victim had already handed over his cellphone and money, the gunman still pulled the trigger, hitting the customer in the upper cheek, police said.
“I don’t know if the victim saw it coming,” Lt. John Russo with the Commander Investigative Coordinator Detective Bureau told ABC 7 Eyewitness News.
“It just seemed as the perpetrator was running out the door, he turned around and fired a shot.”
The suspect, dressed in all black and wearing a matching face mask, first walked into the neighborhood eatery earlier, ordering food and then leaving.
He returned about 10 minutes later, used the bathroom — and then came out brandishing a gun, the surveillance footage shows.
The gunman ordered the restaurant cashier and the sole customer to give him their cellphones — which they did — and then demanded the worker place all the cash from the register into a black plastic bag.
He then ordered the worker to get down, prompting her to crouch. The diner, still seated at the counter over a plate of food, also ducked down.
At that moment, cops said the suspect shot the man in the head, before running off with his loot.
The victim was taken to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital in a critical but stable condition.
“It was shocking,” Manny Reyes, a childhood friend of the unidentified victim, told ABC 7.
“He was eating and turns around to wipe his mouth shut and is shot. I hope they get guy who did it.”
Police noted that the video showed the suspect using a distinctive blue handgun.
“We’ve recovered one 9-millimeter shell casing at the scene,” Lt. Russo told the outlet.
“We’ll forensically process that to see if it matches any of the shell casings. On the face, it doesn’t appear to fit any other robberies or patterns that we have going on in the area.”
The suspect was described as about 5-foot-5 with a medium complexion. He was last seen wearing black clothing, a black hat and mask. Police are appealing to the public for help with identifying him.
