Jesus Acosta faces two murder counts and attempted murder after a dayslong manhunt tied to shootings in Brooklyn and the Bronx.
NEW YORK CITY, NY — A 31-year-old man accused of killing two people in separate New York City shootings was arrested Saturday after an anonymous 911 caller helped police locate him in the Bronx, ending a dayslong manhunt that had drawn assistance from the FBI.
Jesus Acosta was taken into custody Aug. 29 and charged with two counts of murder and attempted murder, according to police and multiple local news reports. Authorities had been searching for him in connection with shootings at a Brooklyn restaurant and a Bronx bodega that left MD Yousuf, 44, and Tayvon Shuler, 33, dead and another man wounded. The arrest came after investigators circulated Acosta’s photograph and the FBI offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to his location and apprehension.
Police said the first shooting happened shortly after midnight Aug. 23 at American Best Wings and Pizza in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Acosta is accused of entering the restaurant and shooting Mohammed Rasel, a worker who survived a gunshot wound to the leg. Police allege Acosta then shot Rasel’s friend and co-worker, Yousuf, in the head. Both men were taken to Brookdale Hospital, where Yousuf was pronounced dead.
Rasel later told WABC that he still had a bullet lodged in his thigh as authorities searched for the gunman. Yousuf, who was described in local reports as a father of two daughters, was remembered by relatives and colleagues after his death. Police publicly identified Acosta as the suspect and released surveillance images as investigators expanded the search.
Two days after the Brooklyn shooting, police allege Acosta entered 149 Grill in the Melrose section of the Bronx shortly after midnight. Surveillance video showed a gunman approaching Shuler, a customer, and opening fire. Police said the shooter then went behind the counter and took money from the cash register before fleeing. Some reports also said Shuler’s backpack was taken. Shuler was transported to Lincoln Hospital and later died from his injuries.
The shootings prompted an intensive search across the city. The United Bodegas of America offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to Acosta’s arrest, while the FBI later announced a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to his location and apprehension. Authorities warned during the search that Acosta should be considered armed and dangerous.
The manhunt ended Saturday morning after an anonymous person called 911 with information that led officers to an area near Watson and Morrison avenues in the Bronx, according to reporting on the arrest. Police took Acosta into custody in the 43rd Precinct shortly before 11 a.m. Authorities had initially released few details about exactly how he was found, but later reporting credited the caller with directing officers to the area where he was located.
Police thanked both investigators and members of the public after announcing the arrest. The case also renewed attention on Acosta’s criminal history. Public records and police accounts cited by news organizations show he had previously served more than 10 years in state prison after a violent offense involving a shooting and had been released on parole in April. Reports differ on some details of his earlier record, including the exact number and classification of prior arrests, so those allegations remain separate from the charges in the current case.
The United Bodegas of America welcomed the arrest while again calling for additional safety measures for store workers. The organization has advocated for panic buttons and other security measures in bodegas following violent incidents. Its representatives also thanked the NYPD, FBI and members of the public who assisted in the search.
Acosta is accused, not convicted, in the two killings. The charges will now proceed through New York’s criminal court system, where prosecutors will be required to prove the allegations. Authorities had not publicly disclosed a motive connecting the two shootings, and investigators had not said that the victims knew Acosta. Police have also not publicly identified the anonymous 911 caller whose information helped bring the manhunt to an end.
Author note: Last updated August 30, 2026.