The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Shooting On Dollar Van and Assorted Crime News

Some folks alerted me to a shooting at Flatbush and Lincoln yesterday afternoon. I just happened to be a few feet from Inspector Fitzgiboon of the 71st when I got word on my reasonably-smart phone. I asked him what happened. It wasn't an MTA bus. It happened in a dollar van. A bunch of guys got on one. An argument ensued. All but one guy got off. And he shot the driver. He didn't die, and is being questioned, since the assumption is that he knew the assailant. Depending on how cooperative he is, the cops are fairly certain the gun-toting meanie will be caught.

There was also a shooting near Rogers and Clarkson, but I don't have details and that might have been in the 67th precinct, where I know basically no one. Any info from y'all would be appreciated - I'm way too busy today to even google.

BUT...yes there've been a spate of armed robberies down at Church and Cortelyou (and notably other parts of the borough, but the ones at the upscale joints near us are getting the attention). In a terrifying brazen hold-up, the masked and armed men busted in on a writer's meeting at coffee house Lark and made off with sundry electronic devices. Which were not, apparently, transistor radios, but rather costly (presumably Apple) tech devices. The victims have since set up a fund to replace their items, though the effort has set off a backlash or snarky coments on the internets meant to belittle their losses, and I will not add to the mean-spiritedness. I feel for anyone who has to withstand a life-threatening experience with a loaded gun pointed at them. Thank god no one was hurt. The only jokey thing I will say is...who will be the first writer to publish a short story about the incident? Gentlemen and Ladies...start your laptops!

3 comments:

Zola said...

I saw the dollar van crime scene on Flatbush (the van was stopped outside of Phat Albert's, and that section of Flatbush was shut down), but there was also something with an MTA bus on Lincoln Rd at the same time. When I left the Prospect Park subway a little after 6:00, the sidewalk was blocked off from LPT to the subway station, there were many cops standing around within the yellow tape zone, and there were crime scene photographers on the bus taking pictures of something inside.

Anyone know if/how the two were connected?

Unknown said...

Hi Zola, the cops that I overheard discussing it were saying something regarding the man that was shot got out of the dollar van and boarded the MTA bus. When I was there the bus was already cordoned off on Lincoln and the victim was still in the ambulance, which the police boarded for questioning. Why someone would run onto a bus after being shot is anyone's guess, but like I always say, never a dull moment around here!

Zola said...

Stacey: Ah, that makes sense. I figured they were connected somehow, because what are the odds of two unrelated Very Bad Things going down at the same time on (basically) the same block? Crazy stuff.