Same Man Arrested For Both Deadly Harlem Shootings This Weekend: NYPD

HARLEM, NY — A local man has been charged and accused of fatally shooting two people in Harlem this weekend, police said.

Messiah Nantwi, 21, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder on Tuesday in connection to the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old near East 132nd Street on Saturday, and Brooklyn resident Brandon Brunson, 36, in a smoke shop near Lenox Avenue and West 125th Street on Sunday night, police said.

Nantwi is accused of shooting both men in the head, including in the Harlem smoke shop which was caught in a chilling video after he had an unknown argument with Brunson within the store, police said.

Nantwi stands accused of shooting Brunson in the back of the head as he walked to the exit of the business, before then walking over to him on the ground and shooting him a second time in the head, police said

It does not appear that the two men knew each other, the New York Post reported.

NYPD have also arrested Nantwi in connection to the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old man about 4:45 p.m. on Saturday outside of Madison Avenue and East 132nd Street, police said.

NYPD have not stated any sort of motive for the two shootings, or if they might be connected.

Nantwi was previously arrested in February 2021 after firing at multiple police officers who tried to arrest him and another man for spray-painting graffiti, the New York Post reported.

He didn't hit any of the officers, but was struck with return fire multiple times and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where he eventually recovered, the New York Post reported.

Nantwi was eventually charged with three counts of attempted murder, but had his family pay a $30,000 bail that had been knocked down from $500,000, according to the New York Post.

Nantwi lived near West 141st Street and Fifth Avenue, police said.