NYC Suspect Arrested for Allegedly Gunning Down Man Execution Style Was Out on Bail for Shooting at Cops

On Tuesday, police arrested Messiah Nantwi, the suspect captured on video, wearing a jacket with the letters FDNY emblazoned on the back while shooting and killing another man execution-style in a New York City smoke shop. Reports indicate that the same man also murdered a 19-year-old just 30 hours before and was out on bail for allegedly opening fire toward cops two years ago.

Nantwi, a member of the local OTN Goodfellas gang, was arrested while riding a Citi Bike on Lenox Avenue, and the 9mm murder weapon was found nearby. He has been charged with the murder of 36-year-old Brandon Brunson in Sunday’s Harlem smoke shop slaying, as well as the murder of 19-year-old Jaylen Duncan, who was fatally shot in the head near Madison Avenue and East 132nd Street on Saturday afternoon.

According to reports, Nantwi was out on bail for the attempted murder of a police officer. He allegedly fired at cops during a graffiti stop in the Bronx in February 2021. Three uniformed officers returned fire, and Nantwi was riddled with bullets. He was released in mid-2021 after posting $30,000 of a $300,000 bail set by a Bronx Supreme Court judge. That case remains pending.

The NYPD had shared images of the suspect taken from surveillance video after a 36-year-old man was shot in the head inside a smoke shop located at 304 Lenox Ave. in Manhattan.

The shooting occurred before 8 p.m. on Sunday inside the smoke shop in East Harlem, Manhattan. The suspect shot a 36-year-old man in the head, causing his death. The video footage captured the moment he drew his gun and fired at point-blank range after an exchange with the victim, who died with a bullet wound. The suspect then walks away calmly and even checks the victim’s pockets before the video ends.

New York City officials have expressed their concerns about smoke shops since the sale of marijuana was legalized there. As per the latest reports, robberies targeting storefronts that sell marijuana paraphernalia – and in many cases unregulated cannabis – have gone up by 10% this year compared to 2022.