Aiexpress – Shamar Leggette, a former convict, became the target of a widespread search after his involvement in the high-profile gunpoint robbery of “Bling Bishop” Lamor Whitehead of Paramus. The incident took place during a live-streamed church service in Brooklyn in 2022.
Authorities in Providence, Rhode Island have stated that Leggette, 41, also shot a man in the city last September.
The U.S. States Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Task Force, in collaboration with the New York office of the ATF, caught Leggette off guard at the MHO Inn and Suites on the southbound side of the highway in the Monmouth Junction area of South Brunswick on January 24th, around 3 p.m.
According to federal sources, a woman was taken aback when the 5-foot-6-inch, 140-pound Leggette unexpectedly started shooting.
The task force members retaliated, expressing their response.
At 4:29 p.m., Leggette was declared deceased.
According to New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, law enforcement authorities recovered two guns in close proximity to the suspect. Fortunately, no officers sustained injuries during the incident.
Platkin’s office is currently examining the circumstances, most likely due to the involvement of the South Brunswick police.
Leggette was wanted for robbing Whitehead, who gained fame for his extravagant lifestyle, including his Rolls Royce, expensive jewelry, and his close relationship with New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Unsurprisingly, the video quickly became a viral sensation.
Juwan Anderson and Say-Quan Pollack, who were allegedly involved in the robbery, were apprehended on federal charges a few weeks later. However, it took until Wednesday for authorities to capture Leggette, who had been on the run.
Leggette had spent time in prison on three separate occasions for crimes including robbery, attempted murder, and weapons offenses. He was released from the Fishkill Correctional Facility in Dutchess County in January 2022 after completing his second sentence.
According to records, he would be on parole until February 2024.
Six months later, the bishop and his wife fell victim to a robbery.
Whitehead was arrested by FBI agents for defrauding a parishioner of his Canarsie church. He had promised to use her retirement savings to purchase a home for her.
Federal prosecutors have charged him with using the money for a down payment on a $4.4 million home in Saddle River, located just up Route 17 from Paramus, as well as purchasing high-end clothing and other luxurious items.
