NYC car chase in viral video ends in dramatic robbery: ‘He’s got a gun!’
A Mercedes Benz rammed into an SUV and spun it onto other side of street before taking part in a robbery
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
In a scene straight from the Grand Theft Auto videogames, a car chase on the Upper East Side in New York ended with a robber ramming a black Mercedes into an SUV and then making off with a bag of cash, according to police.
On Saturday, at 4.40pm, police responded to a call that a black Mercedes Benz sedan chased a silver Toyota Rav 4 down 2nd Avenue, ramming it and spinning it into another lane of traffic. The Mercedes smashed the Toyota again, and a male exited the sedan, brandishing a gun at the SUV’s driver and stealing a black bag with an unknown amount of money inside, the NYPD said.
“The suspect fled the location in the vehicle,” a police spokesperson told The Independent. “There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing.”
A video making the rounds on social media captures the chaos.
Bystanders can be heard saying, “Oh f***,” and “He’s got a gun!” as the robbery takes place.
Witnesses said that in the process of the incident, one of the cars’ tires popped, emitting a sound akin to gunfire that panicked onlookers.
The driver of the Toyota can be seen in the video holding his hands up, as the thief grabs a bag and hops into the waiting Mercedes.
“The guy was in shock — he cannot say nothing. He was just standing in his place,” Nour, an employee at the nearby Yorkville Deli and Market, told the New York Daily News.
“At first when, when he saw the gun ... He got out and he put his hands up…The driver was just waiting for him to get inside the car and they took off right away.”
Another bystander told the paper they saw three men flee from a black Mercedes nearby and run into the subway.
The incident took place not far from Gracie Mansion, the residence of the New York mayor.