Surveillance video captured the moment where Elier Sanchez, a Venezuelan man living at the migrant shelter on Randall’s Island, threatened to shoot a Steinway Street merchant in Astoria and followed through in November. NYPD
Feb. 14, 2025 By Bill Parry
A Venezuelan man who was living in the migrant shelter on Randall’s Island is now on Rikers Island after he was arrested last month and criminally charged with attempted murder for shooting an Astoria business owner during an armed robbery with his accomplice from Long Island in November.
Elier Sanchez, 23, was remanded into custody on Rikers after he was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court for shooting Kunwarjee Singh, 40, multiple times inside his Top-in-Town Wireless storefront at 32-78 Steinway St. on the night of Friday, Nov. 8.
His partner, Danilxon Alvarez, 34, of Surprise Street in Elmont, was arrested by U.S. Marshals in New Jersey on Wednesday and extradited back to Queens. He was booked at the 114th Precinct in Astoria and arraigned on an indictment later in the day.
Chilling video surveillance shows Sanchez after he entered the shop at 6:44 p.m., went to the counter to request an item, and turned as Alvarez walked into the store. Sanchez then pulled a handgun from his waistband and motioned for Singh to be quiet as Alvarez joined him at the counter.
According to the criminal complaint, Singh came out from the counter and attempted to escape, but Alvarez blocked him from leaving. Sanchez shot the merchant in the torso and then “tussled” with him, causing both men to fall into a rack of merchandise and then onto the floor. Sanchez got up and pistol-whipped Singh in the head multiple times while Alvarez attempted to remove a Rolex watch from Singh’s wrist.
Sanchez and his accomplice from Long Island are currently held without bail on Rikers Island. NYPD
Sanchez fired shots that struck Singh in both legs. Sanchez then aimed the firearm at Singh’s face as Alvarez snatched the Rolex from his wrist. The defendants fled the shop with the wristwatch, which was valued at $22,000. They jumped on a scooter and rode away from the store, traveling westbound on 34th Avenue toward Randall’s Island.
Police from the 114th Precinct responded to the crime scene and found Singh on the floor of his shop.
EMS rushed him to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. In addition to the three gunshot wounds, Sigh had two broken femurs and underwent multiple surgeries. He sustained bruising and swelling to his face, a fractured right ankle, spinal fractures, and nerve damage to his left leg, resulting in paralysis that left him unable to walk, according to the criminal complaint.
After he was arrested in January, Sanchez told a detective at the 114th Precinct that he shot Singh, but he was unsure of how many times.
“I don’t remember how many times I shot him,” Sanchez said before blaming his accomplice.
“The other guy came in and got on top of him,” Sanchez said. “The guy told me to shoot him.”
Sanchez also told the detective that the handgun was not his, but he was seen on security footage pulling the firearm from his waistband.
Sanchez and Alvarez were charged with attempted murder in the second degree, first-degree robbery, an armed felony offense, and weapons possession charges.
Both defendants were remanded into custody without bail and ordered to return to court on March 18.
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