Jayvon Bell charged in attempted murder, assault on Suffolk police officer, DA says

An Amityville man, suspected in a gunpoint robbery and menacing case, and who shot at a Suffolk County police officer who was attempting to apprehend him, was indicted Wednesday on a host of charges, including first-degree attempted murder, prosecutors said.

Jayvon Bell, 20, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Criminal Court in Riverhead, where he was also charged with second-degree attempted murder, attempted aggravated assault on a police officer, first-degree attempted assault, first-degree reckless endangerment and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was previously charged with first-degree robbery and second-degree menacing.

County Court Judge Anthony Senft, who had previously held Bell on $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond, ordered him held without bail on Wednesday.

If convicted of the top count, Bell faces 20 years to life years in prison.

“This defendant’s decision to brandish, wave, point and then fire a gun at others could have cost a police officer, a taxi driver, and a gas station employee their lives,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney. “Thankfully no one was harmed during any of the three incidents."

Joseph Hanshe, Bell's Sayville-based defense attorney, said it was premature to comment on the case before discovery was turned over. 

"There's a lot to be reviewed," he said.

Bell's alleged crime wave began on May 10 when he pointed a handgun at a taxi driver who had picked him up in North Amityville and demanded cash, investigators said. Bell, who was sitting in the back seat, stole about $150 from the driver before getting out of the cab and taking off, prosecutors said.

On June 3, Bell was at a Bolla Market in Lindenhurst when he refused to pay for a soda and got into an argument with an employee, prosecutors said. Bell told the employee he had a gun and, as he was leaving the store, removed what appeared to be a handgun from his pocket, tapped it on the window and made a threatening remark to the worker, officials said.

On June 21, Suffolk police officers spotted Bell, who was wanted for the earlier robbery and menacing, walking north on Albany Avenue toward Route 109 in East Farmingdale, investigators said. Bell fled and officers engaged in a foot pursuit of the suspect that led to the backyard of a home on Maple Road in North Amityville, authorities said.

When officers arrived in the backyard, Bell was standing with his back against a fence and holding a black handgun pointed directly at police, investigators said. Bell fired a shot at one of the officers, which missed and struck a fence, prosecutors said. An officer returned fire several times, striking Bell on the right side of his body, Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said at the time.

Bell was arrested and taken to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was treated for his injuries.

Law enforcement officials have since recovered the black handgun used by Bell, along with video surveillance from the home where the shooting occurred and other homes in the area along with police body camera footage from the shooting, authorities said.

Bell is due back in court on Tuesday.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.