Police and federal agents are conducting a manhunt in the Bronx for a man wanted in connection with an attempted robbery in New York that turned into a deadly shootout between the store staff and at least 10 suspects, according to two sources familiar with the investigation.
The search near Fordham University's campus Tuesday night stemmed from a shooting at a Mount Vernon smoke shop earlier in the morning, sources told NBC New York. A gunfight broke out between the large robbery crew of at least 10 people and workers at the shop, sources said.
Two people were killed in the exchange of gunfire, sources said. It was unclear if the victims who were killed included the smoke shop employees or members of the robbery crew. Westchester County officials have not yet released the names of the victims.
A number of suspects were taken into custody at the scene of the shooting, but one man was still wanted by police for questioning regarding the double homicide, according to sources.
Law enforcement sources said that officers had spotted a vehicle connected to the shooting just before 7:30 p.m., but the driver took off. After a pursuit that ended at East Fordham Road and Hughes Avenue, one of the suspects in the car was taken into custody, but the other ran off.
Around 8:30 p.m., the FBI, members of the NYPD Emergency Service Unit and K-9 units fanned out along Hughes Avenue near Fordham, some of whom were carrying high-powered firearms. Authorities were seen towing away a Honda minivan from the scene there, but there was no sign of the man police had been searching for.
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The man the FBI has been searching for (pictured below) in connection to the deadly Mt. Vernon shooting is believed to be going by the name Marcos.
Fordham sent text message alerts to all students telling them to avoid the area as the manhunt continued.
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Anyone with information regarding the shooting or the suspect is asked to contact the FBI New York office at 212-384-1000.
