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Rodney Williams, 29, and Siobhan Chandler, 19, were captured after Williams crashed their getaway during a police chase following four holdups in under an hour on Nov. 14, authorities said.
All told, the couple robbed a Danforth Avenue deli, a Garfield Avenue gas station, a Communipaw Avenue supermarket and and a fast-food restaurant at Communipaw and Crescent avenues, they said.
Williams reportedly shot a gas station attendant and an employee at the Crown Chicken restaurant during the holdup spree.
It began when Williams entered the deli, put a firearm to a clerk's chest and threatened to shoot if he wasn't given "all of the store's money" at 8:10 that night, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said Tuesday.
After fleeing with the cash, the couple hit the gas station, Sellinger said. Chander had trouble getting into the attendant booth, so Williams pointed the gun at the attendant and demanded money, he said.
The attendant refused and was shot, the U.S. attorney said.
"Do you think I am f--king playing with you?" Williams reportedly asked. "Give me the money!"
Williams then pointed the firearm at a second attendant and threatened to shoot, Sellinger said. The attendant locked the booth, keeping Williams out. He and Chandler then fled.
Barely 15 minutes later, the pair entered the supermarket, Sellinger said. After taking cash at gunpoint from a clerk, Williams fled with Chandler, he said.
Ten minutes after that, they hit the fast-food restaurant, the U.S. attorney said.
"Williams immediately approached the clerk at the register, pointed the firearm at the clerk’s chest and demanded money," Sellinger said. "The clerk, believing Williams’ demand was not serious, failed to immediately respond.
"Williams attempted to shoot the clerk, but the firearm misfired," he said. "Williams then re-cocked the firearm and shot the clerk in the chest. Williams then forcibly entered the restaurant’s kitchen and demanded money from the employees.
"Chandler remained at the doorway and ordered one employee out of the restaurant."
She also kept a customer from entering, he said.
As Williams forced the wounded clerk to empty the register, Chandler shouted, “Let’s go! Let’s go!” Sellinger said.
It was around 9:20 pm when Jersey City police spotted and began pursuing the pair in their vehicle, he said.
"Williams drove into oncoming traffic, striking a police vehicle and rendering his vehicle inoperable," the U.S. attorney said. "The officers immediately apprehended the defendants."
Sellinger credited Jersey City police and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office with the investigation leading to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamel Semper of Sellinger's Organized Crime and Gangs Unit and Kimberly Mitchell of his Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force are handling the case for the government.
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