Customer killed in Bronx deli robbery; gunman tied to Brooklyn killing, NYPD says

MELROSE, Bronx (WABC) -- A customer who was shot early Tuesday at a Bronx deli has died, and police believe the gunman is responsible for another deadly shooting over the weekend.

The robbery happened just after 12:15 a.m. at a store on East 149th Street in the Melrose section of the Bronx.Investigators say the suspect burst into 149 Grill and Deli and shot a 33-year-old customer.

The gunman then went behind the counter, pointed the weapon at employees and took an unknown amount of money from the cash register.A gunman shot a customer, threatened employees and stole money from a Bronx store during a brazen early morning robbery.
The wounded customer was rushed to NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, where he was later pronounced dead.

At a memorial for the victim Tuesday afternoon, the victim's friends said he was a good person who kept people smiling and pushed them to be better.

Police said the suspect ran eastbound on East 149th Street after the robbery. He was last seen wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, gray sweatpants and white sneakers.

Authorities have identified the suspect as Jesus Acosta, 31, of the Bronx.
He is wanted in Sunday's deadly shooting inside American Best Wings and Pizza on Rockaway Avenue in Brownsville.

Officers found a 44-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his head -- he was an employee of the halal fast-food eatery. A 39-year-old man was shot in the leg. It is unclear whether he was a worker. Both men were taken to the hospital, where the 44-year-old was pronounced dead.

Acosta has 13 prior arrests, starting in 2010 when he was arrested for robbery when he was 14 years old.

Crystal Cranmore reports from the Bronx.
He spent 10 years in state prison for shooting a man on a subway platform in Harlem in May 2015. He was paroled this April.

Police say Acosta has distinctive tattoos, including "Bronx" tattooed on his hand and "Bobby" tattooed on his left forearm.

The United Bodegas of America says more needs to be done to protect communities against gun violence. They are offering $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.Anyone with information is asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers.