Man charged with murder of Valley Stream clerk

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Federal authorities charged a Queens man on Friday with the December killing of an Oceanside clerk at a Valley Stream convenience store.

Edwin Lopez, 36, of Oceanside, was found with a gunshot wound at AL Mini Mart, at 91 Ocean Ave. in Valley Stream, on the night of Dec. 16, according to police. Lopez was rushed to nearby Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Hospital, but was pronounced dead about an hour later. Police had been searching for the shooter.

Eastern District prosecutor Christopher Caffarone reportedly said that Jermaine Jackson, of Queens Village, shot Lopez after he tried to push the gun away.

Jackson pleaded not guilty to a firearm-related murder charge and six other counts in federal court in Central Islip. Three of the charges were for an armed robbery Jackson allegedly committed on Dec. 9 at VIP Deli in Queens Village, at 204-24 Hillside Ave., in which no injuries were reported.


Jackson’s attorney, Garnett Sullivan, was in court all day Tuesday as the Herald went to press and could not be reached for comment.


Lopez co-owned AL Mini Mart with his brother, Arquimides, 50, who lives in an attached apartment behind the store. He closed the bodega for about two weeks after the shooting.


Arquimides and other members of Lopez’s family were in the courtroom when the charges were announced. He said he was relieved police had arrested someone.


Arquimides was in his apartment at the time of the shooting. He said he has had trouble sleeping since his brother was killed, and that other employees and patrons of the bodega are still very sad.


“Too much thinking,” he said with glassy eyes.

Ben Strack contributed to this story.