Rockaway Beach Man Indicted in Fatal 2021 Robbery
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On Thursday, February 13, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jordan Hannah, an FDNY EMT from Rockaway Beach, was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned on first-degree murder and other charges for the fatal gunpoint robbery of 22-year-old Kyle Griffin in April 2021. Griffin was seated in his white Range Rover near the corner of 41st Street and 30th Avenue in Astoria after having just left a nearby lounge with friends. The defendant and an unapprehended accomplice entered Griffin’s vehicle, demanded the personal items of those in the car, then both shot Griffin as he tried driving away.
District Attorney Katz said, “The defendant, now an FDNY EMT, thought he got away with murder after allegedly shooting and killing a young man he tried to rob four years ago. This seemingly targeted robbery will not go unanswered because my office never gives up on our victims. Thanks to the relentless work by my homicide prosecutors and NYPD detectives, we have secured a murder indictment, and the defendant is now in custody. We will seek justice for Kyle Griffin and his loved ones.”
Hannah, 26, of Rockaway Beach Boulevard in Rockaway Beach, was arraigned on a 22-count indictment charging him with three counts of murder in the first degree, four counts of murder in the second degree, two counts of robbery in the first degree, four counts of attempted robbery in the first degree, robbery in the second degree, two counts of attempted robbery in the second degree, four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and two counts of tampering with physical evidence. Hannah was hired as an FDNY EMT in January 2022, after the alleged crime was committed, but was just arrested last week.
Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise remanded the defendant and ordered him to return to court on April 30. If convicted of the top charge, Hannah faces a potential maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
According to the charges, on April 18, 2021, at approximately 10 p.m., the victim was sitting in his white Range Rover while parked in front of 40-13 30th Avenue in Astoria. The victim had just left a nearby lounge with friends. A short time later, a Jeep Grand Cherokee pulled over next to the victim’s car, preventing him from leaving.
At the same time, the defendant and an unapprehended accomplice approached Griffin’s car, opened the rear passenger door and climbed inside. The defendant and his accomplice each displayed a firearm, and one stated, “Give us everything you have.”
Griffin, while seated in the driver’s seat, attempted to drive away and was shot twice in the torso. The defendant and his accomplice then immediately fled the scene. Kyle Griffin was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Two spent shell casings were recovered at the scene and two loaded pistols, one a black .380-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol and one black 9 mm Glock pistol, were recovered a few blocks away.
The investigation was conducted by Detective Vincent Lahara, Detective Shaquan Harvin, and Detective Mubashshir Tohfafarosh of the New York City Police Department.
Assistant District Attorney Gabriel J. Reale of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau is prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Joseph Randazzo, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, and Karen Ross, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark. Criminal complaints and indictments are accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty
