Teen Loses Arm in Botched Robbery Attempt During Air Jordan Craigslist Transaction


A robber who tried to hold up a 39-year-old motorist during a sneaker sale scam in Brooklyn was struck by his victim’s SUV and was slammed against a fence, which severed his arm.

A man used his SUV to run over a fleeing, armed teenager who had just stolen a pair of sneakers from the man on Avenue M near E. 86th St. in Canarsie neighborhood in southeast Brooklyn. The teen may have been armed with a gun, but after being hit and pinned into a fence by the SUV, he lost his real arm, and ran away leaving the arm he was born with at the scene.

Phillip Pierre, 39, had arranged on Craigslist to meet Zachary Sam, 17, in Brooklyn, New York, about 12.30pm Friday to buy a pair of Air Jordan 8 sneakers for $190.

Police say Sam climbed into Pierre’s Honda Pilot, pulled out a revolver and took the sneakers before attempting to walk away. the gun also jammed during the crime, and during a struggle.

A security camera captured of the incident, and the video was obtained by the New York Daily News. The video shows that Pierre made a U-turn and targeted Sam as he was on the sidewalk. The force of the targeted vehicular assault pulled the teen under the wheels and pinned him into a metal fence. The force the teen’s right arm.

After a struggle at the scene, the teen ran away, but left his arm at the scene. The teen caught a bus, but the bus driver stopped to meet police and paramedics. Zachary Sam remained hospitalized after losing his right arm below the elbow. The arm was surgically reattached.

Phillip Pierre was charged with attempted murder. Pierre was expected to post his $100,000 bail later Saturday.

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