Cold Blooded Murder on the Flabenue

UPDATE: Details emerge, including a request for potential witnesses to come forward, here.

The Q has always had a soft spot for the many ma and pa shop owners along our glorious boulevard. Some have carved specific niches for themselves, particularly targeting cultures and ethnicities that the big box chain stores ignore. The Flatbush Avenue BID includes a staggering number and variety of businesses. A walk southward down and past Erasmus High is a loud, jostling and exhilarating experience. The owners of these businesses are often the sole full-time employees and work countless hours a week running their prides and joys.

It's with great sadness and shock that we learn of the shooting death of the nearly octogenarian shopkeep of the awesomely named She She boutique. Rahmatollah Vahidipour was shot in the head Friday evening and dragged to the back of his store and covered with clothes. Police have linked the death to two other murders of shopkeeps in the last few months, suspecting that the same 22 caliber pistol was used in all three.

Friday's shooting is similar to two other murders of Brooklyn store owners that happened over the summer. In both of those incidents, authorities believe there's a possible link to numerology and obsession with the numbers 1, 7 and 8.
The address of Friday's killing included the number 8 as the unidentified victim's store address was 834 Flatbush Avenue. All three shooting were committed with a .22-caliber handgun.
The two prior store owner murders happened on July 6, when 65-year-old Mohammed Gebeli was found shot to death at his clothing store at 7718 Fifth Avenue and on August 2 59-year-old Isaac Kadare was found dead in his Bensonhurst store at 1877 86th Street.


Read more: http://www.myfoxny.com/story/20126318/store-owner-killed-in-brooklyn-possible-connection-address-killings#ixzz2CZrSmAFM

The other lone proprietors were killed in similar fashion in the Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst neighborhoods. They were all of middle-eastern descent. Some suspect numerology at play, though that theory made more sense with the first two than with this one, since the addresses of the others were scrambles of one another (7718 Fifth Avenue, and 1877 86th Street. This one was at 834 Flatbush...though i guess you can make a 7 out of 3+4, though I can't say I've ever been confused for a Robert Langdon).

It's just horrible, really. It doesn't seem the killer is partial to one neighborhood, and I'm sure that makes it even harder for the cops. I guess it's not to soon to start using the word "serial" next to this killer. Let's hope they find the psycho soon.

Police say a Brooklyn boutique owner was shot and killed inside of his store Friday night and are looking to see if this incident is related to prior killings that may have been based on the victim's addresses.
Officers found the 78-year-old Vahidipour Rahmatollah of Great Neck, NY in the back of She-She Boutique on 834 Flatbush Avenue with a gunshot wound to the head. Authorities believe he was shot at the counter and dragged into the back of the store where the suspect covered the victim's' body with clothes.
Friday's shooting is similar to two other murders of Brooklyn store owners that happened over the summer. In both of those incidents, authorities believe there's a possible link to numerology and obsession with the numbers 1, 7 and 8.
The address of Friday's killing included the number 8 as the unidentified victim's store address was 834 Flatbush Avenue. All three shooting were committed with a .22-caliber handgun.
The two prior store owner murders happened on July 6, when 65-year-old Mohammed Gebeli was found shot to death at his clothing store at 7718 Fifth Avenue and on August 2 59-year-old Isaac Kadare was found dead in his Bensonhurst store at 1877 86th Street.
The NYPD has offered rewards of $22,000 in each of the homicides for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. Anyone with information about them may call the Crime Stoppers hot-line anonymously at 1-800-577 TIPS (8477).


Read more: http://www.myfoxny.com/story/20126318/store-owner-killed-in-brooklyn-possible-connection-address-killings#ixzz2CZmaowfC

Police say a Brooklyn boutique owner was shot and killed inside of his store Friday night and are looking to see if this incident is related to prior killings that may have been based on the victim's addresses.
Officers found the 78-year-old Vahidipour Rahmatollah of Great Neck, NY in the back of She-She Boutique on 834 Flatbush Avenue with a gunshot wound to the head. Authorities believe he was shot at the counter and dragged into the back of the store where the suspect covered the victim's' body with clothes.
Friday's shooting is similar to two other murders of Brooklyn store owners that happened over the summer. In both of those incidents, authorities believe there's a possible link to numerology and obsession with the numbers 1, 7 and 8.
The address of Friday's killing included the number 8 as the unidentified victim's store address was 834 Flatbush Avenue. All three shooting were committed with a .22-caliber handgun.
The two prior store owner murders happened on July 6, when 65-year-old Mohammed Gebeli was found shot to death at his clothing store at 7718 Fifth Avenue and on August 2 59-year-old Isaac Kadare was found dead in his Bensonhurst store at 1877 86th Street.
The NYPD has offered rewards of $22,000 in each of the homicides for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. Anyone with information about them may call the Crime Stoppers hot-line anonymously at 1-800-577 TIPS (8477).


Read more: http://www.myfoxny.com/story/20126318/store-owner-killed-in-brooklyn-possible-connection-address-killings#ixzz2CZmaowfC