Standoff at Cortelyou Laundromat

Monday, December 20th, 2010

The owner of the laundromat on East 17th and Cortelyou is holed up in his apartment above the business as heavily-armed police on the roof and on the street attempt to extract him.

A police officer told us that Jack, a troubled soul who neighbors say isn’t a bad guy on good days, has been throwing chemicals out from his windows — which he’s smashed — when officers get close. They believe that he’s been “popping pills,” the officer said. The officer also said he has been arrested on gun charges before, and that they’re concerned he’s armed. A relative is on her way, and they hope to talk him down.

Last night, he allegedly vandalized Cafe Madeline, across the street, dumping garbage in front of the entrance (below).

All we can hope for is a peaceful resolution; in the meantime, Cortelyou Road has been blocked eastbound until the situation is resolved.

- Liena

Tags: assaults
See All: Crime

Name

Nice. Of course he keeps the area outside his door looking like that all the time. Still, hope nobody gets hurt.
MaggE

Thanks for the update, Liena! Very sad (and scary).
Blue Moon

Today is the winter solstice, full moon and lunar eclipse,so expect unusual behavior. We all know that hospitals are busy during full moon days, so this is a triple threat.
Stanley Skeeter

I hope Jack gets help – Seriously! This is not surprising to me – in fact i thought someone would have done some serious harm to him by now.. He uses drugs with the local punks in the neighborhood and scares the residents who live on the block. I think its best he goes away for awhile and gets some kind of treatment for his deteriorating mental health!!!

I’m mostly concerned about the residents and kids that live on the block, and worry about him losing it completely one day – Again, May he finally get help!

~neighbor~
Harold Girlbut

I’m mostly upset that you guys missed an opportunity with the posting title.

It should’ve been: “Stained Off at Cortelyou Laundromat”
carissa

I remember the holding someone against their will story on this blog- wasn’t that the same owner? I hope he gets help and his neighbors get the peace they deserve.
Lynne

Where is Jack’s father, George Chu, right now?
Heather

I really hope that he gets the help he obviously needs. It seems whatever’s been done in the past has been a bit of a band-aid approach and isn’t helping him long term. I’ve noticed him around lately seeming less stable than normal so hopefully this sad and dramatic event will be a bit of the proverbial blessing in disguise.

I’m sorry for Cafe Madeline as well. All new to the neighborhood and this…..
Name

I’m surprised it took this long for Jack to get arrested. In the past month he’s been increasingly unstable. Just yesterday I saw him banging the storefront gate of Creation Hair Salon with (what looked to be) a wrench for 10 minutes (in full view of a police officer, who he yelled at). On Saturday night he was dancing around and swinging a long metal pipe, taking a break every now and then to yell obscenities at random people. Even if he “isn’t a bad guy on good days”, he’s potentially dangerous.

Does anyone know how he came to own the Laundromat?
annie

Poor Jack- I really hope he gets some help. Maybe Madelines could hire him or something.
CM

I hope he gets some mental health help this time. Unfortunately the system will likely just release him when he comes down from whatever he is on, unless they incarcerate him, which will not help his mental health issues at all.
http://nancymartira.tumblr.com Nancy M.

I saw the vandalism on my morning dog walk. I stopped into Cafe Madeline to buy some coffee in a show of support. I sincerely felt bad for whoever had to clean up that mess.
mind business

DO YOU HAVE PROOF HE TRASH THE CAFE!!! I BET NO! HE IS NOT THE OWNER OF THE LAUNDROMAT. name say mind your own business if he wants it to look that way its not your problem.
J

Mind Business… You do know the definition of “allegedly” right? As in “Last night, he allegedly vandalized Cafe Madeline…”

And, yes, it is ALL OF OUR problem if someone is VANDALIZING a neighborhood business and if someone is throwing chemicals onto the street and attacking police and otherwise acting in potentially dangerous ways… in OUR neighborhood. Even if Jack wasn’t the person who covered Cafe Madeline with garbage, it was Jack who caused a heavily armed SWAT team to come to our neighborhood today.
mind business

J GIVE ME PROOF! SOMEONE LIED AND SAID HE HAS A GUN THATS WHY THE SWAT TEAM WAS THERE. PEOPLE LIKE TO GOSSIP AND MAKE UP STORY ON THIS BLOG.
Understand the Situation

Jack is an amazing individual with a mental health problem who is alone and has no one to help him seek the appropriate care he needs. Unlike many individuals in the neighborhood, Jack goes above and beyond to help others when he can. He is a caring individual who is sick! That does not make him less than anyone! He is sick just like people with addictions, people who have an illness, and as such – he needs help. Instead of hoping he “gets taken away” and criticizing him -take the time to learn more about the situation before judging him. Last Christmas, while my family and I were going through the hardest time in our lives, Jack stopped me while I was washing and offered what he could to “help”- he gave me pine cones for each of my family members. He went down the list of family members and said here “hang them in your house- I cut them from my family tree!” Jack offers everyone coffee or water at the Laundromat whenever he is about to get something for himself and asks nothing in return. He spends his money on a gift for others when he knows its their bday. He does not disrespect anyone IF he is not disrespected. So I agree we all need to be CONCERNED about him…and not ATTACKING him. I honestly hope people in this neighborhood learn a thing or two from Jack about being an amazing caring individual at heart. Sadly, his life is in constant turmoil because of his mental state. And just so everyone understands a little about Jack- he was not always this way. It seems his mental illness was triggered by the loss of his mother whom he loved more than words can describe. So take the time to understand him/situation and take time to see what can be done to help him …not to criticized him!
J

My apologies if I sounded flippant… I understand mental illness. I also understand how folks who are mentally ill are a potential danger to themselves AND others. Simple as that. I sincerely hope Jack gets the help he needs. I also hope that no one is hurt if he has any other “episodes.” No one above said it was his fault, but there is a reality here… today was obviously not the love and caring Jack that you know. It was the sick, and potentially dangerous Jack (e.g., throwing chemicals out the window at police). Again, I hope he gets the help he needs. I believe the “gets taken away” comments above are suggesting he needs more than being left alone with his illness.
someone involved

jack is not the owner the dad at the time of the incident the dad was at the airport he came back once notified.
L

And started posting on this blog, from the sounds of it.
someone involved

L if thats in regards to me you must not be familiar with the dad at all Georges English is horrible and he is not the best when it comes to computers.
L

I am referring to the “mind business” poster.
DP resident

For all those concerned about Jack’s health, many epiosdes in his life trigger this mental behavior. Jack as much as he hates to be criticized by people was wrongly discriminated by Cafe Madeline. There are always two sides to a story but the story I know and confirmed by someone else involved in the discussion was that Jack entered Cafe Madeline around halloween dressed in a bath rope and pants. He was told he couldnt drink his coffee inside because he wasn’t dressed appropriately. As far as I know he wasn’t naked. The treatment he received affected him. Who wouldn’t feel discriminated? He began to feel hatred against Cafe Madeline. Could he be blamed? I am pretty sure they will press charges against him after today. Now you understand where Jack is coming from. Jack is also harassed by another merchant in the neighborhood. Who continues to stalk and provoke him. All this adds to his mental behavior today. Today was a cry out for help. He needs love from his family and neighbors. My prayers go out to him.
mind business

l: for your info im a customer that goes to the laundromat. i been going to the laundromat for a long time i know the whole family. he doesnt have a mental illness everyone thinks that cause the way he acts! he is on heavy duty drugs! he hanging around the wrong crowd! why is everyone is attacking him!!!!! does anymore know what drugs could do to a person if they r taking more then one i bet no.
mind business

dp: the stalker is gabe who hides behide the tree,cars. i was there at the laundromat on halloween. the cafe owner didnt like the idea he was wearing a robe sitting outside drinking his coffee. he call the cops on him for sitting outside drinking his coffee in his robe. he was doing anything. he wasnt naked he had on a shirt and pants. since the made a big deal about him sitting in his robe i stop going there.
mind business

idancer no he not self medicating ITS DRUGS NOT THE ONE DOCTOR GIVES YOU!!!!!! DO YOU REALLY THINK REHAB IS GOING TO WORK. THERE IS SO MANY PEOPLE ON DRUGS THESE DAYS. YOU HAVE THE ONE WHO COULD CONTROL THEMSELF AND YOU HAVE THE ONE WHO CANT. DRUGS IS EVERYWHERE. HIS FAMILY BEEN TRYING TO GET HIM HELP! YOU CANT JUST DRAG HIM THERE HE HAS TO HELP HIMSELF! HOW COULD YOU HELP SOMEONE IF THEY DONT WANT HELP! social workers dont do shit
Christine

I have to admit that I am glad attention is finally being paid to this matter. I’m a neighbor who doesn’t know Jack personally. However, I do worry about his actions and am concerned that he could hurt someone/take his actions too far. It does seem that recently he has been acting out worse than usual. His doorstep is one indicator. In the past couple weeks alone, I have felt intimidated by him twice. First, I was in Duane Reade, he was screaming at the store clerk and out the front door, shouting about his hatred of the clerk. I was looking at him in disbelief and, because of that, he started screaming directly at me, telling me to call the police on him and calling me names. I did not provoke him. The second time, I was walking by the laundromat and he was standing on a block of wood pretending a broom was a gun. As we walked by, he said “This is my gun. I’m shooting you.” I am fairly sure a good number of us have stories like this, and for those who don’t know him, it is very disconcerting.
Mr. Wash

I was in Cafe Madeline on Nov 1 (the incident referred to above) when Jack was ejected and the police were called. Staff members told me he had come in the previous day with a bucket of cigarette butts and locked himself in the bathroom for a half hour. So it was appropriate for them to refuse service.

After getting Jack to leave, I overheard an officer explain to the cafe owner that Jack is “part of the neighborhood and he would have to deal with him.” While it’s true that the police are not in the best position to deal with mental illness, cases like Jack shouldn’t be treated as just a neighborhood eccentric. Let’s hope he gets some real help this time.
Jerry

Let’s hope the people around him get some help…in whatever form it’s available. Cafe Madeline doesn’t need this sort of crap to be going on. And talking about shooting people on the sidewalk is unacceptable…I don’t care how nice a guy he is “on a good day” or what his issues are.
Missie

Poor Jack, I feel so bad for him. He must be going through alot – and sadly, seriously affecting people around him. Reading these comments, though, I can’t help but pitch in that it’s the quiet ones you have to worry about.

On another note, is it just me, or are the newer staffers at Cafe Madeline a bit snobby? Not the very stunning girl that was there when they opened, the newer girls. Hmm… I haven’t been going there since, and I really don’t feel one bit bad for them. There are nicer people in the neighborhood who I gladly overpay for my lattes
mind business

deal with it he is part of the neighborhood. he grew up in the area he will never leave. misses good for u. i stop going there also.
DIOS

I know Jack..,and I know vaugly the new owner of MADILINE coffee shop he is very nice from AUSTRAILER.a very nice young guy..i am sure Jack scared the freak out of him HE went in there and threatened him he was going to kill him and then threw paint and garbage all over the new shop I can not blame the man for calling police..Jack has been acting increasingly weird lately and if you know JACK thats saying alot..he was wearing a liesence plate a day or two before saying “IM A BAD BOY” talking to himself trying to hook up speakers in frount of HIS FATHERS BUSINESS..I know his father too a very fine exhasberated heartbroken but strong hard working man..the FATHER owns the business and the building its a small walk up ..,he has spoken to me about JACK Yes Jacks been on drugs and has a record but mostly for misendevors.(.he is often on parole) causing dumb trouble while stoned or drunk HE IS NOT BY NATURE VILOLENT he is not by any true honest nature violent at all but he is EXTREAMLY troubled and ill nd unpredictable and he has become viloinent in his outbursts..its not always drugs..I only know him 4 years but I know they have been living there since he was a kid..,his mother died I am pretty sure when she was young he has a stepmother a very small meek seemingly nervous parinoid wreck of a woman because of JACK no doubt who is so UNPREDICTABLE one day he is Hey hiya how are you another he is angry at everyone and makes up rules about people sitting outside and in the laundry who are waiting for there wash so he can have some sort of control he ofF and on makes up rules he also has done TONS of Graffitti on the side of the building which I have documented over the past 4 yrs a lot is very telling to his state of mind..once he wrote STOP BREAKING MY CHOPS another “HUMAN BEINGS DO NOT LIKE TO SEE OTHER HUMAN BEINGS HAPPY” he also goes off and spray paints inside the laundry hangs stuffed animals he finds in the trash..Ive even seen him ear them tied onhisbelts he’s bought parts of broken tree branches into the buissness And its been getting worse buthe is alsovery sweet he wrote my name on the wall and wrote I rock, when a friend of mine had a baby he wrote welcome to the world__rather painted..,which was SO sweet jacks a good guy but extreamly troubled Drugs only bring on more trouble I am sure he is on medication from a Dr , but might abuse it or not take it Ive seen him nodding out Ive seen him coked out Ive seen him drunk.. over heyearsand Ive seen him totally fine, working hard in his fathers bussiness..,the past few months I think JACKS been having a totally mental meltdown breakdown, the owner of this new MAdelines cafe had no idea about him or the laundry place at all I AM POSITIVE JAck was acting bizzare and freaky scary and looking,dressed weird i am sure the owner tried to talk with JACK to reason with him sorta figure him out, then the other day DEC 20th thats when JACK wentTOTALLY crazy and I was expecting something to happen but mostly I was hoping for graffitti instead he went and threatened him that he was going to kill him he better leave and ran and got paint and garbage and threw it into in on the store frount..,and what happened the other day who knows what set JACK off
he ran upstairs started throwing stuff out of the window..furniture paint screaming threats the so called chemicals were stuff like paint stripper and turpintine nothing that would blow up a neighborhood so a HUGE battilion of cops came and a TANK they did not know if he had a gunor bombs since he DID threaten to kill and he was really off the hook there were cops on all the roofs with guns he was screaming at the copsemptying his place with all his furniture heds couchehes chairs and well anything at the moment he could grab.. so the cops had rifles uzis who knows on all surrounding roofs while some cops.detectives tried to talk and reason with him it went on from them morning till afternoon.., he Jack was finally prorably exhasted and they lured him down with food and ciggerettes..
I dont care how many drugs at what ever time JACK has done or who he hung with..this is an organic thing…something is deeply wrong with JACK, its always been there and I hope he gets the help he needs Im very found of JACK I feel so bad when i see him all werided out I know he is in imense mental conflicting pain,and misery he also might be a pariniod scziod and any drug taking on his part was self medication I so hope he gets the help he needs and my heart pours out to his father who is an amazing man
And I will always be Jacks friend
but I must say this
I have not seen him really laugh in a few years
so pray for JACK, a good soul with maybe you can liken to a person with a broken circut, worst off I am truly afraid he is going to seriously harm himself
does anyone know where they took him Iwould go visit him
bring him his favorite foods Iv seen him eat while working and let him know its okay babe ya not alone and your not hated
Im sure MADILINES not going to press charges I went by this evening but the owner wasnt there..hear it from his mouth and talk to him..hes a nice guy loves my dog he is a dog lover his mum has two dogs just like mine a nice man the new coffee shop owner
the thought of JACK in jail is just total DOOM for him
DIOS

dont pity JACK pity is not a good thing
help him gain his trust
just be nice to the guy
thank him in the store.he will be back eventully
tell him Hey looking good jack
anything you can think of that’s
POSITIVE
give him respect
don’t treat him like a mentally ill child
he isn’t
he is a young man filled with pain of which we do not know
Nacho Taco

By the way, sounds like the cops did their job very well.
mind business

blah blah gossip gossip

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Standoff at Cortelyou Laundromat

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