It happened at a gas station near the Metro-North Railroad around 5:30 a.m.
The gas station worker said he feels thankful to be alive after the suspects put a gun to his head and demanded his money. They got away with at least $600.
Surveillance video obtained by Eyewitness News shows the employee was in the booth at the gas station. He decided to move over to a stool by the building to sit for a bit when he was approached by the suspects.
"Some guy in a white shirt was coming this way, I say, 'What's going on?' And the other guy, he put the gun to my head. They say, 'Give me all the money!'" said Yusuf Topal. "I try to take the money out, I say, 'You guys, don't shoot me! I'll give you the money.'"
He said one of the suspects put a gun to his head and took the money.
"He said to me, 'Give me the money wallet!' I say, 'Come on man.' And they push me, they push me, and he took my wallet in my back pocket," Topal said. "All I know is, forget about the money, my driver's license is in there, my bank card over there, pretty important, my lawyer number over there, they took everything. But, I'm lucky they don't shoot me."
The search brought Mount Vernon police and the NYPD to Pearl Street, where armed officers looked through an apartment building, backyards, and along the adjacent Metro-North tracks. Westchester County police and the FBI also joined the investigation.
Responding NYPD officers exchanged gunfire with the suspects, but officials don't believe anyone was struck.
Metro-North service was briefly suspended because of the proximity to the railroad tracks.
Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is asked to contact the MVPD Detective Division at 914-665-2510. All calls will be kept confidential. You can also submit an anonymous tip via our "Text-A-Tip" by texting "MVPD" and your tip to 847411.
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