Robber shot dead by worker at Bronx weed store: NYPD sources

A robber was shot dead by a Bronx weed store worker early Wednesday, police sources said.

Cops responding to a 12:25 a.m. 911 call found 23-year-old Romel Carey shot in the head inside Top Shelf, a convenience store that sells cannabis products, on East Tremont Ave. near Anthony Ave.

Carey, whose last known address was in Pennsylvania, died at the scene. One shell casing was recovered by police.

Cops took the worker into custody after he admitted to shooting Carey, who the worker said was robbing the store.

Charges were pending against the worker as Bronx prosecutors try to determine if he shot the robber in self defense.

Based on Carey’s head wound alone it was not immediately clear if he was right in front of the employee or running away when the shooting occurred, a law enforcement source said.

A neighborhood landlord said the worker was just protecting the store.

“It was actually self defense,” said the landlord, who wished not to be named.

Residents of a nearby shelter have been harassing local merchants, the landlord added.

“People come here high on drugs looking for heroin and drugs,” he said. “I had business owners complain to me and I’ve seen it first hand. If that shelter wasn’t there, the area would be much better.”

Hours later, a pool of blood still stained the sidewalk by the doorway to the 24-hour store.

Tyrone Smith had just dropped his child off at day care when he passed the bloody crime scene.

“They’re good people, they never had no problems here,” Smith, 25, said, referring to the store employees. “It’s a bodega, a regular store, but they sell weed too. I wouldn’t expect a shooting to happen here.”

“Stuff like this makes me paranoid because bullets fly and you never know who it will hit,” he added.