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Updated at 11:35 p.m. ET: Authorities are searching for a possible serial killer who has gunned down three Brooklyn business owners since the summer -- police believe the victims could have been targeted because they were Middle Eastern.
Detectives who specialize in hate crimes and FBI analysts who specialize in behavioral analysis have joined the case, authorities said.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said Monday that police are trying to identify a tall, balding man with a mustache who was seen on surveillance video carrying a black duffel bag near the scene of the latest shooting. NBC 4 New York has learned the same man was also seen on video near the second shooting in August.
Authorities say two other possible witnesses seen on video have been questioned and released.
The latest victim, 78-year-old Rahmatollah Vahidipour, a Jewish man from Iran, was killed Friday in his women's clothing boutique on Flatbush Avenue.
"The possibility of a bias motive here is something that can't be excluded," Kelly said.
After the latest killing, detectives discovered the same gun was used in the fatal shootings of two other shopkeepers when ballistics matched the .22-caliber gun shell casings on all three.
On July 6, Mohamed Gebeli, 65, an Egyptian immigrant and a Muslim, was found shot in the back of his shop, Valentino Fashion Inc. On Aug. 6, Isaac Kadare, 59, also Egyptian but Jewish, was shot in the head in his store, Amazing 99 Cent Deal.
There were other similarities, authorities said: The bodies were all partially obscured by clothing or, in one case, a box. The shops all lacked surveillance cameras, and the owners were alone in the store. The locations of the shops are each about four miles apart, with addresses that contain the number eight. Money was taken from everyone but Vahidipour, who had $171 in his pocket.
"We're trying to put it together. We're talking to the FBI; we're doing an all-out effort to solve these murders," Kelly said.
Kelly said it's reasonable to think the shooter had canvassed the area to find locations where no cameras existed.
"Here you have three stores where the proprietor is there by himself, no cameras in any of these," he said. "You'd have to speculate that some sort of reconnaissance was going on before the murders took place."
Kelly said they would like the tall man to come forward and identify himself. The commissioner said no one has been named a suspect and no arrests had been made.
The killings chilled local shopkeepers.
"Pretty nerve-wracking that a serial killer is on the loose in Brooklyn. You know it's the third one with the same gun," said Howard Prince, the manager of a business near the She She Boutique. Prince said police were stressing that no one should work alone.
"I mean that's not the part that concerns me," Prince said. "The part that concerns me is you take somebody's life that's 78 years old for no reason."
Kelly said city shop owners should be alert and aware of their surroundings and should call police or 911 at the sign of trouble.
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The trolls are in good form today ~ three people have been killed and all you can do is pick apart the fact the man said serial killer is one word. And, manage to blame it on Obama/drag him into it. As Bugs Bunny said "What a bunch of maroons".
I don't know if he had a past jail record but im sure he did. Should have locked this nig up the first time and not let him out.
That is T.I. no wait that is Jamie Foxx!
It's NYC. What do you expect?
Look at the sketch. Jay-Z didnt do it! LMAO.
Jay Z and Jamie Foxx are too busy worshipping satan.
I officially name him the Crazy 8 killer
A black man cannot commit a hate crime. The only ones capable of that are white people. Black people are loving and kind and very generous! I think they are trying to frame this man. He is probably innocent and if they do find him we will find that he was justifiably provoked.
Most likely it's Newt Gingrich in blackface.....
Many black people are loving, kind, and very generous. Many white people are loving, kind, and very generous. Many Middle Eastern people are loving, kind, and very generous.
However, each race also has killers and sociopaths.
Each race also has racist creeps like you to deal with.
Allpeople ......... The point your trying to make I believe is that people as individuals are pretty much the same no matter where they are from and I agree with you. Where I disagree is if you do not add the disclaimer that it is the culture of the groups that is less than admirable. Ethnic discrimination is dispicable just as cultural diversity is lunacy.
next it will be motels and 7-11'S...guess ya just never know...Glad I dont own a shop in the middle east,Id be scared every day!!!
Someone let Wesley Snipes out of prison?
"If you have a business - YOU DIDNT BUILD THAT! Someone else made that happen" ... Barack Hussein Obama.
A divisive president encouraging sentiment demonizing business owners - Is indirectly contributing to these hate crimes.
Denzel?
is this a real serial killer or a typical thug who scopes his hit first before he makes his move. all weak old men with no security cameras and who cares that the letter 8 is in the address that is a non issue. the more telling sign is the type of person who is doing the crime and there in itself is your answer.
Jak Pot, Im thinking you right...
Well, I'm sure that the gun is registered and the guy is licensed to carry - after all, this is New York, where you can't do anything without Hizzonner selling you a permit! What? You mean some people in NY don't obey the gun laws? I'll bet when they catch him, he's swilling a 32 ounce Big Gulp coke, too!
Whachu got against black people!!
Blame Obama he believes the white man is evil.
Um, lets see, profile depiction: An American male that hates middle eastern people; an American male that hates middle eastern people running businesses that might be owned and operated by middle eastern investors; a sociopath feminist lesbian that hates middle eastern men because they force their women to be circumcised; a prior service or active duty military man that hates middle eastern men because they have killed his friends in Afghanistan or Iraq; a middle eastern man of a different religion targeting middle eastern businesses (example India versus Pakistan); an American man fed up with the Islamization of America that targets anyone looking like a Muslim (even though they may not be one); a crazy individual that just wants to know what it's like to kill someone; and individual that hates foreign born workers making money in the USA when 23 million people are out of work; an individual that has eaten his supply of Twinkies before Hostess goes out of business who is on a killing spree due to excessive blood sugar. Can't think of any more, but those I've identified make up about 30% of the US population!
"but those I've identified make up about 30% of the US population!"
But but but ........ he looks like he only fits the appearance of approximately 12% of the population .......
Someone watches too much TV. "Serial killer," right.
I'm willing to bet it's someone that lost a family member in the war. Or it could be someone that is sick of
Americans being gunned down in the middle east. Or he could have been in the war and is getting some payback for the things that he may have seen while in the middle east. Either way I bet it's related to the war.
We need to capture him and send him to afganistan .
WOW I coulda had a V8
Obama is killing small businesses...his look alike is killing small business owners...
I bet they were killed for not paying there crack bill.
I can see it now, it will be like looking for a needle in a hay stack.
Blu ... cant be that difficult at all. All they have to do is find a dark complected young male, possibly with criminal record, gun owning individual. Just how many people do you figure would possibly match that description in NYC?
Well you would know it is one of the colored people.
Right, especially since the most notorious serial killers were white.
@randyk
Tim McVey was mistaken for an Arab terrorist when his sketch was first published. Don't make assumptions from a drawing.
Can I just imagine for one moment the world without violent, predatory men? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh....what a lovely world it would be.
Most of the violence in our nation and the world is caused by men. Keep a check on that testostorene (sp?) men.
Further evidence supporting the theory that human animals are sick!!