Shots Fired in Robbery Attempt Outside Boro Park

By Y.M. Lowy

A wild crime spree just outside Boro Park ended with an arrest after shots were fired inside a post office and a second attempted robbery took place nearby.

It began Monday afternoon, when a man entered the Midwood Post Office and demanded money. Instead of aiming at the clerk, he pressed a gun to the back of a 37-year-old customer. Witnesses say she screamed, and the perp fired several shots while fleeing. No one was hit.

He took off on a black moped heading north on Coney Island Avenue. Minutes later, police say he tried to rob a check-cashing store about 2.5 miles away. Inside, he threatened to kill customers and demanded cash. When he slammed his gun against a door, the magazine fell out, scattering bullets and giving a customer the chance to escape.

The customer and another man tackled and held the suspect until police arrived.

The suspect, Travis Towler, was arrested and charged with robbery, criminal use of a firearm, and other offenses. Despite the chaos, no one was injured.

photos by Dovid Jaroslawicz