Juan Torres (
)
Police have nabbed a suspect in the deadly shooting of a Queens bodega owner last week — and he’s a regular customer who knew his victim well, according to law-enforcement sources.
The heartless thug, Shawne Forde, was recognized and picked out of a lineup by the victim’s brother, Felix Torres, who was being held up when his tragic older sibling, Juan, rushed to his aid, only to be gunned down, the sources said.
“Juan will never get his life back, but at least we feel better now that they caught the guy,” said Juan and Felix’s brother, Rafael Torres, 40. “He needs to pay for what he did.”
Rafael Torres added of Forde, “I saw the guy before. It’s incredible to me. ‘You’re a regular customer who gets great service. Why do you have to kill someone you know? You’re killing your own people, people from the same community.’ ”
Forde, 29, an unemployed Queens resident, was arrested early yesterday, arraigned and held without bail.
He could face life in prison for allegedly killing Juan Torres, 54, during the botched robbery at the family-owned Lucky Deli on Merrick Boulevard in Laurelton on Oct. 23.
Cops said Forde entered the Lucky Deli just before 10 that night armed and ready for a hold-up.
He grabbed Felix Torres, pressed his head against the counter and demanded he empty his cash register, police said. Felix was handing over about $80 when Juan heard the scuffle from the back of the shop.
He approached Forde from behind to try to help his brother, cops said. Forde allegedly turned around and shot him in the face before fleeing.
Juan Torres was the second brother in the family to be killed in a deli robbery. Ramon was slain in 2002.
Additional reporting by Jessica Simeone