44°
In an announcement on Sunday, March 24, the New York division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said they are offering a $15,000 reward for any information on the whereabouts of Marco Tulio Fernandez-Rodriguez, who is wanted in connection with an attempted gunpoint robbery of a warehouse in Mount Vernon in the area of 137 South Fifth Ave. on Tuesday, March 19.
On the night of the incident at around 12:15 p.m., a robbery crew of 10 to 15 people approached the warehouse, which sells unlicensed marijuana and nicotine products to smoke shops, according to federal officials.
The crew then forced warehouse employees and the customers they had been helping into the building at gunpoint. Soon after, a gunfight broke out between employees and the robbery crew, causing the deaths of one of the employees and one of the robbers, officials said.
The names of the two people who were killed have not been released by authorities.
Five people have been charged in connection with the shooting:
- Ilario Contreras, age 23;
- Jerpi Diaz-Feliz, also known as "Jorge Diaz-Feliz," age 25;
- Jhoan Diaz-Feliz, age 23;
- Victor Jimenez, age 35;
- Joseph Perez, age 26.
Authorities have also been searching for Fernandez-Rodriguez since the night of the shooting.
Anyone with information on Fernandez-Rodriguez's whereabouts or the case can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Mount Vernon and receive free news updates.
