By Allie Griffin , Joe Marino and Larry Celona | New York Post
A career criminal suspected of robbing flashy Brooklyn bishop Lamor Whitehead during a live-streamed service in 2022 was shot dead by US Marshals in New Jersey Wednesday, law enforcement sources told The Post.
Shamar Leggette — who is third on the list of New York’s most wanted fugitives — was killed during a confrontation with Marshals who were attempting to arrest him for the armed robbery, the sources said.
Leggette, 41, fired at officers as he exited the MHO Inn and Suites in Monmouth Junction, where they were waiting to take him into custody, NBC New York reported.
A woman he was with inside the hotel surrendered to authorities before Leggette came out shooting, according to the station.
Leggette, who has served two stints in state prison, was identified as a suspect in the brazen church robbery last year after his two accomplices were arrested.
Paul Martinka
The trio of masked bandits stormed the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie on July 24, 2022, in the middle of Whitehead’s lives-streamed sermon.
Footage of the heist shows the infamous pastor hit the floor as the armed men ran in. They targeted Whitehead and his wife — making off with the bishop’s $75,000 Rolex watch, a $75,000 Cavalier watch, and a $25,000 ruby and diamond ring, among other valuables.
The bishop, dressed in a Gucci suit, went on Instagram Live Wednesday night to discuss the death of his robber.
He said Leggette “was the guy that put the gun in my wife’s face and put the gun in my eight-month-old daughter’s face” during the on-camera robbery in which his wife was holding their baby daughter.
“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,” Whitehead said, announcing that Leggette was killed by Marshals.
“My condolences really go out to his family,” he continued. “This is a sad situation where once again, we as African American people — it’s a cycle of destruction… It’s so senseless.”
Leggette was released on parole from state prison just six months before the high-profile robbery.
He had served time for robbery, attempted murder and weapons possession, records show. He previously served time for first-degree robbery from August 2003 to July 2010, according to the records.
That conviction stemmed from the 2002 armed mugging of former NBA player and then-point guard for the Nets Chris Childs outside a Manhattan restaurant owned by Sean “P. Diddy” Combs.
Leggette, who was 20 at the time of the crime, pointed a gun at Childs as other robbers took his $20,000 watch, $800 in cash and cell phone.
US Marshals shot and killed Leggette when he opened fire on them in Monmouth Junction.NBC New York
One of his accomplices ordered Leggette to pull the trigger before the basketball player pleaded for him to stop and handed the bandits his $3,500 diamond ring.
Leggette was also wanted for attempted murder and robbery in connection to a Queens mugging in which he took $7,000 cash from a woman on her way to the bank and then fired a gun at a bystander, but missed, according to state records.
He was also wanted in Rhode Island for shooting and robbing a man of $50,000 worth of jewelry in Providence this August, ABC6 Rhode Island News reported.
Leggette’s accomplices in the Brooklyn church robbery have pleaded guilty to the crime.
The US Marshal’s Office did not immediately return a Post reporter’s call Wednesday night.