Melrose bodega owner faces charges after Thanksgiving robbery
Family members and advocates rallied outside the courthouse, calling him a hero and demanding that all charges against him be dropped.
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A Melrose bodega owner is at the center of a heated legal battle after he says he acted in self-defense during an armed robbery on Thanksgiving morning.
Jhonny Gomez, the owner of the shop was arraigned Wednesday on firearm possession charges and later released.
Family members and advocates rallied outside the courthouse, calling him a hero and demanding that all charges against him be dropped.
“We want justice!” supporters chanted in Spanish, rallying outside of the bodega.
According to advocates, two armed individuals stormed the bodega early Thanksgiving morning. Fearing for his life and the safety of others, Gomez retrieved a firearm he says he found earlier that day in the store’s bathroom and fired at the robbers, injuring one of them.
“He deserves to get a proclamation from the mayor of New York for saving lives and possibly preventing a disaster,” said Fernando Mateo, spokesperson for the United Bodegas of America, which represents over 15,000 bodega owners.
Prosecutors allege Gomez unlawfully possessed and used the firearm without a permit.
“Unfortunately, he has not applied for a pistol license,” Mateo added. “But what happened to him may have been a sign. When you go into your bodega and allow everyone to use the bathroom, you never know what they’re going to leave behind.
One of the robbers, a 17-year-old, was shot in the leg, treated at a hospital, and later released. According to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, he will appear in family court. The second suspect remains at large.
Family members, including one of Gomez’s four daughters, say the charges against him send the wrong message. “I feel bad because that’s not fair,” said Yhojeidy Gomez. “My father is a good father, a good friend. It’s not fair.”
Prosecutors have also noted that Gomez has a prior conviction for attempted assault, which factored into their decision to file charges. The case remains under investigation.
Advocates argue the focus should be on prosecuting the robbers and strengthening protections for small business owners like Gomez.
