Cops: Gunman asks for death when caught

Monday, January 19, 2009

A Jersey City man who allegedly threatened to shoot a liquor store owner Thursday begged police to shoot him when they caught up with him, reports said.

Just after 6:30 p.m. Jose Torres, 50, of Monticello Avenue, walked into Belmont Liquors at 157 Monticello Ave., showed the owner his gun, and threatened to come back and shoot him, reports said.

Police caught up with Torres at the corner of Belmont and Bergen avenues and asked him to take his hands out of his pockets, reports said.

Torres began screaming, "'Shoot me, I want to die,' " kept his hands in his pockets, and started walking away, reports said.

Cops stopped Torres, searched his pockets and found a loaded handgun, reports said.

Torres was charged with attempted robbery, terroristic threats, and several weapons possession offenses, according to the report.

AMY SARA CLARK