Suspect Charged With Robbing Man Of Clothes At Gunpoint In Far Rockaway
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A man was arrested Sunday and charged with robbing a man at gunpoint for his clothing in Far Rockaway, Queens last week.
Angel Valentin, 20, of Harlem, was charged with robbery, stalking, menacing, criminal possession of stolen property, and harassment in the incident, police said.
Police said around 6:30 p.m. Friday, the 24-year-old victim on his way into a home on Neilson Street in Queens when he was approached by a stranger, police said.
The suspect took out a handgun and threatened the man, demanding his clothing, police said.
The victim, who was wearing a suit, can be seen on surveillance footage handing over his overcoat, jacket, shoes, and pants before the suspect flees in an unknown direction.
In an exclusive interview, the victim, who only wanted to be identified as Michael, told CBS2's Jessica Borg that being held up at gunpoint was the scariest moment of his life.
"He's like 'take off your clothes," he said. "I let out a little scream, and he says, 'shut up or I'm going to shoot you.' So I got silent pretty quickly."
Michael from and was visiting family in Far Rockaway at the time. He's an Orthodox Jew and was returning home from prayer services when the robbery happened.
It was frigid outside that night, with the wind chill below freezing.
"When you're scared, you don't really feel. The weather is not going to make a difference. You're shaking because you fear for your life," Michael said.
Neighbors can't believe what happened.
"I've never seen anything like that. It's a pretty scary world we live in today, you can't walk around feeling secure," Victor Aragon said.
"That's horrible, this is a really nice neighborhood. But I can't even imagine, I hate to see that. And that's right here, I live right across the street, that's crazy," Paul Godette said.
