By:Cindy J. Roth
He was killed immediately ,and police arrived at the scene in less than two minutes."
Det. Thomas Mazur,
Nassau County Police
An attempted robbery at the Mobil Gas Station on Newbridge Road and Columbus Avenue in North Bellmore Monday afternoon ended in death after gas attendant Bruce Longley shot the unidentified assailant three times in the upper torso, Nassau police said.
An unknown black man entered the office of the Mobil Gas Station at 871 Newbridge Rd. and asked the attendant if he could use the phone. Longley, 64, a former New York City Department of corrections officer, directed the man outside to the public pay phone.
According to Nassau police, shortly after the subject reentered the office, he displayed what appeared to be a silver semi-automatic handgun and demanded cash from the register. Longley complied and opened the register. Using his free hand, the robber reached around the counter and removed all the cash from the register drawer.
The subject demanded more money, and Longley lifted up the [money] tray to show him that there were no larger bills tucked underneath, said Det. Thomas Mazur, Nassau County Public Information Officer. As the subject went around the register to look for more money, Longley had the opportunity to pull his gun stored in the small of his back.
Longley fired at the robber three times, with a licensed .40 caliber Glock handgun, striking him at least twice.
He was killed immediately ,and police arrived at the scene in less than two minutes, Mazur said. There were no witnesses and no customers except for a mechanic working who didn't witness the shooting but heard the shots.
Mazur believes the case is cut and dry, saying Longley's actions were out of self defense, although the district court will make that determination. The incident is not linked to any other recent robberies and is being treated as a sporadic incident.
Tom, owner of the Mobil Gas Station who would not reveal his last name, said the station is already reopen and the robbery attempt is not going to stop us, this time.
The only damage to the property was a shattered glass front door.
Tom said he is curious about results of the investigation. As for Longley returning to work, Tom said he told Longley to take some time off for now.
