A serial armed robber, who was on the run after New York’s ‘bling bishop’ had $1million stolen at gunpoint while he was live streaming his sermon in church, has been killed by US Marshals.
Shamar Leggette, 41, was shot dead during a confrontation with Marshals outside a New Jersey hotel on Wednesday. They were attempting to arrest him for a series of recent armed robberies – including at pastor Lamor Whitehead’s church in 2022.
Leggette was New York’s third most-wanted fugitive, and he had twice served time in state prison for numerous charges of armed robbery.
According to NBC, officers were waiting at the MHO Inn and Suites in Monmouth Junction for him to come out – but when he did, he started shooting at them.
The career criminal was shot dead, police confirmed. He had been at the hotel with a woman, who surrendered to authorities on Wednesday night.
Shamar Leggette, 41, was shot dead during a confrontation with Marshals outside a New Jersey hotel on Wednesday. They were attempting to arrest him for a series of recent armed robbery – including one at pastor Lamor Whitehead’s church in 2022
Officers were waiting at the MHO Inn and Suites in Monmouth Junction for him to come out – but when he did, he started shooting at them
Leggette was being tracked down after he was named as a suspect in the heist gang who robbed $1million from a Brooklyn church in 2022. He had been let out on parole from state prison just six months prior.
He was joined by two other masked robbers when they stormed into the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie in July 2022.
Pastor Whitehead was live streaming his sermon – and his reactions were caught on camera when the trio robbed $1million worth of his belongings at gunpoint.
He dropped to the floor when the men rushed in – and Leggette ripped the diamond chains off his neck while pointing a gun at the bishop’s wife and toddler.
Leggette and the two men, Juwan Anderson and Say-Quan Pollack, who have since been arrested, allegedly took Whitehead’s $75,000 Rolex watch, as well as thousands of dollars in diamonds and jewellery.
Pollack has since pleaded guilty to the crimes.
Following news that Leggette was killed on Wednesday, Bishop Lamor Whitehead took to social media to do a 30-minute live stream of his thoughts.
He said that he has forgiven all three robbers, despite their brute, harmful acts – and offered to do a funeral service for Leggette free of charge.
Whitehead told his followers that he wished Leggette had just handed himself in, instead of getting into the confrontation with the Marshals on Wednesday.
Pastor Whitehead was live streaming his sermon – and his reactions were caught on camera when the trio robbed $1million worth of his belongings at gunpoint in 2022
Following news that Leggette was killed on Wednesday, Bishop Lamor Whitehead took to social media to do a 30-minute live stream of his thoughts. He said that he has forgiven all three robbers, despite their brute, harmful acts – and offered to do a funeral service for Leggette free of charge
Whitehead said that Leggette ‘put the gun in my wife’s face and put the gun in my eight-month-old daughter’s face’ during the robbery.
‘So this is the guy that was at large and he came and put the gun to my head and ripped my clergy collar off and ripped my chains off and he was just brutal.
‘However, today, the Marshals caught him in New Jersey. He didn’t want to give himself up, he had a weapon, and he was killed.
‘My condolences really go out to his family. This is a sad situation where once again, we as African American people, it’s a cycle of destruction. It’s so senseless.
‘I wish that he would’ve gave himself up. Even though he would have done some time, he would have been home for his children. It’s a sad thing. It’s just so senseless.
‘I forgive him and I do want to extend my services to the family. I would eulogize him, I will preach the service, whatever I can do in a pastor’s capacity, I will do it, free of charge.’
Before the armed robbery in the church, Leggette was in prison for robbery, attempted murder and weapons possession.
Whitehead said that Leggette ‘put the gun in my wife’s face and put the gun in my eight-month-old daughter’s face’ during the robbery in 2022
The career criminal was shot dead, police confirmed. He had been at the hotel with a woman, who surrendered to authorities on Wednesday night
He was convicted of armed robbery after stealing former NBA player Chris Childs’ $20,000 watch and other goods outside a Manhattan restaurant in 2002.
The career criminal continued to rob people across all five boroughs. Leggette took $7,000 cash from a woman in Queens, as well as shooting and robbing a man of his $50,000 of jewellery in Rhode Island.
Meanwhile, Lamor Whitehead himself is about to face his own fraud and extortion trial next month.
New York City’s notorious ‘bling’ pastor was arrested by federal agents for allegedly scamming his parishioners out of more than a hundred thousand dollars.
He was indicted on two counts of wire fraud, one count of extortion and one count of making material false statements.
He faces a maximum of 65 years in prison, though his attorney insists he is innocent of all charges.
Whitehead has previously served two years in a state prison on multiple counts of identity fraud and grand larceny before he was released early for good behavior.
According to the indictment, Whitehead scammed one of his parishioners out of $90,000 from her retirement savings.