A Staten Island man accused of killing three Brooklyn shopkeepers was indicted Tuesday on first degree murder charges.
Salvatore Perrone, 64, appeared in Brooklyn Criminal Court to face charges that he shot and killed the men between July and November.
Investigators found a duffel bag in Perrone's girlfriend's apartment containing a rifle that matched shells found where the store keepers were killed, police said.
Mohamed Gebeli, 65; Isaac Kadare, 59; and Rahmatollah Vahidipour, 78, were all found dead inside their stores. The men were of Middle Eastern descent.
They were all shot with a .22 caliber rifle, according to investigators.
Perrone, who was given the name "John Doe Duffel Bag," because he was seen on surveillance video carrying a large bag near the scene of last Friday's murder of Vahidipour was apprehended by police after a Bay Ridge pharmacy employee recognized him as a regular.
Police say the video footage was a big break in the case for investigators.
Perrone confessed to the murders only after talking to someone he thought was a CIA agent, according to law-enforcement officials.
Police say they have not cited a motive but believe the shootings were racially motivated.
Authorities say the suspect may have been planning another murder.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 6:12 AM EDT2013-06-19 10:12:52 GMT
A senior administration official says Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders have struck a deal to authorize four upstate casinos and to allow votes on 10 separate women's rights bills including an abortion...
A senior administration official says Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders have struck a deal to authorize four upstate casinos and to allow votes on 10 separate women's rights bills including an abortion proposal...
Wednesday, June 19 2013 6:07 AM EDT2013-06-19 10:07:22 GMT
NYC
Nearly 3 million New Yorkers' homes are now in evacuation zones that cover more than a third of the city's population, under new maps released Tuesday.
Nearly 3 million New Yorkers' homes are now in evacuation zones that cover more than a third of the city's population, under new maps released Tuesday.In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, officials said last month, the number of zones would double and encompass about 600,000 more residents.
Wednesday, June 19 2013 5:34 AM EDT2013-06-19 09:34:12 GMT
Photo courtesy of @N42_21_W71_04)
Riders should anticipate some changes but "near normal" service on the Long Island Rail Road for the morning rush.
Riders should anticipate some changes but "near normal" service on the Long Island Rail Road for the morning rush. Crews have bee working to repair tracks and switches after Monday's derailment.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 9:50 PM EDT2013-06-19 01:50:52 GMT
FDNY photo via Twitter
Emergency responders rescued a worker who was trapped when a trench collapsed Tuesday evening at a Queens construction site that was supposed to be closed.
Emergency responders rescued a worker who was trapped when a trench collapsed Tuesday evening at a Queens construction site that was supposed to be closed.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 8:34 PM EDT2013-06-19 00:34:07 GMT
It's a sight that can trigger dread. The low-battery message appears on your cell phone when there's no charger around.
It's a sight that can trigger dread. The low-battery message appears on your cell phone when there's no charger around. Now New York City has teamed up with AT&T to install 25 solar powered charging stations over the summer.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 4:55 PM EDT2013-06-18 20:55:38 GMT
A man accused of fatally shooting a gay man walking with a companion in New York City's Greenwich Village pleaded not guilty.
A man accused of fatally shooting a gay man walking with a companion in New York City's Greenwich Village afterward claimed that he opened fire because the victim "thought he was tough in front of his bitch," prosecutors said in court papers Tuesday.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 3:05 PM EDT2013-06-18 19:05:09 GMT
Police are looking for a man who stabbed another man in Times Square Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.The victim was stabbed in the chest, the NYPD and FDNY said.
Police are looking for a man who stabbed another man in Times Square Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.The victim was stabbed in the chest, the NYPD and FDNY said.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 12:20 PM EDT2013-06-18 16:20:04 GMT
The director of the National Security Agency said Tuesday the government's sweeping surveillance programs have foiled some 50 terrorist plots worldwide, including one directed at the New York Stock Exchange.
The director of the National Security Agency said Tuesday the government's sweeping surveillance programs have foiled some 50 terrorist plots worldwide, including one directed at the New York Stock Exchange.
Salvatore Perrone, 64.
