NYC parolee sought in two fatal shootings during robberies 48 hours apart

Jesus Acosta, 31, is wanted for killing a Brooklyn wings restaurant worker and a Bronx deli customer in separate hold-ups. His parole officer identified him as the suspect in both shootings.

Parolee Kills Two in Separate NYC Robberies Within 48 Hours

A 31-year-old parolee is wanted in connection with two fatal shootings at New York City businesses committed roughly 48 hours apart, the NYPD said. NY Post Metro reports that Jesus Acosta — released on parole in April after serving more than a decade for a 2015 subway shooting — is accused of killing a Brooklyn restaurant worker and a Bronx deli customer in back-to-back armed robberies.

Acosta carried out the first attack around midnight Sunday at America's Best Wings and Pizza on Rockaway Avenue in Brownsville, Brooklyn, according to police. He shot a 44-year-old worker, MD Yousuf, in the head and struck a second man, 39, in the leg. Both victims were transported to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, where Yousuf died from his injuries. The second victim was listed in stable condition.

A GoFundMe page organized on behalf of Yousuf's family described him as "a hardworking, kind man who supported his family and showed up for his coworkers every day." Yousuf, originally from Bangladesh, was the sole income earner for his household. He is survived by his wife, his mother, and two daughters, aged 12 and 3. "His family had no warning and no savings for something like this," the fundraising page states. "They now have no income and no way to bring his body home." It was not immediately clear what, if anything, Acosta managed to steal before fleeing the scene.

Approximately 48 hours later, around 12:15 a.m. Tuesday, Acosta allegedly struck again — this time at a deli on East 149th Street near Walton Avenue in the Concourse section of the Bronx. He opened fire during a hold-up, hitting a 33-year-old male customer in the chest, police said. The victim was rushed to Lincoln Medical Center, where he was initially listed in stable condition before his condition rapidly deteriorated. He was pronounced dead at the hospital later Tuesday. The victim has not been publicly identified pending family notification.

Surveillance footage from the second scene, obtained by WABC, shows a hooded gunman ignoring one customer at the counter before shooting another. The shooter is then seen going through the cash register, removing wads of cash, and exiting through the door. The total amount stolen was not immediately determined.

Acosta did not know either of the victims, according to law-enforcement sources. He was identified as the suspect in both shootings by his parole officer.

Court records and police confirm that Acosta was released on parole in April following a sentence tied to a May 5, 2015, attack at the 110th Street–Malcolm X Plaza subway station in Manhattan. In that incident, he argued with a 20-year-old on a northbound No. 2 train just after 11 p.m. and shot the victim in the left arm when the confrontation continued on the platform. Acosta pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2016, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's office. He served just over 10 years before his release.

Police records show Acosta also has three other prior arrests, though the charges in those cases have not been disclosed.

Investigators describe Acosta as a light-complexioned male, approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall and 175 pounds, with short brown hair and brown eyes. He has the word "Bronx" tattooed on one hand and the name "Bobby" tattooed on his left forearm.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish speakers. Tips can also be submitted online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or via X at @NYPDTips.

Source: NY Post Metro