By Rich Bockmann
Police arrested a young man from Jamaica last week who they contend participated in the attempted robbery of a supermarket that left his accomplice dead.
Alpha Diaby, 22, of 92-27 176th St., was arrested and charged with burglary and possession of burglars’ tools March 14, the day after 27-year-old Mamadou Koureichi, of 88-09 148th St., was found shot dead inside the Met food market on the corner of Jamaica Avenue and 173rd Street, police said.
According to the authorities, Diaby and Koureichi broke into the food store in the early morning hours of March 13, busting through a hole they made in the ceiling near the front of the store.
Waiting inside, however, was a store employee, who opened fire with a shotgun and fatally struck Mamadou, police said. When the cops and emergency medical personnel arrived at the store just after 2 a.m., Mamadou was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police would not comment on whether or not the supermarket had a history of problems with burglaries, nor would they identify the employee who fatally shot Mamadou, though the authorities have not charged anyone with a crime in connection with the young man’s death.
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
