Police said a dispute that began inside an Eighth Avenue adult store turned violent outside, leaving a 60-year-old man dead.
NEW YORK — A 25-year-old Queens man has been charged with murder and two counts of robbery after police said an argument inside a Chelsea adult store spilled onto the sidewalk and ended with a 60-year-old man fatally beaten Sunday night.
Police identified the suspect as Imani McColley. Investigators said McColley and the victim became involved in a verbal dispute at about 9 p.m. inside Rainbow Station at 203 Eighth Ave. The disagreement moved outside the business, where police allege McColley pushed the man to the ground and repeatedly attacked him. Authorities said the victim’s wallet was also taken before the suspect fled.
Officers and emergency medical workers responded to a 911 call reporting an assault in front of the store. The injured man was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His name had not been released Monday because authorities were working to notify his family.
McColley left the area after the attack but later returned, according to police and law enforcement accounts. Officers spotted him near the scene and took him into custody. Authorities subsequently charged him with murder and two counts of robbery. The charges are accusations, and the case will be resolved through the court process.
Police have not announced an official motive for the confrontation. An employee of the business told WABC that McColley became angry after he was denied access to a basement club inside the store, but investigators had not publicly confirmed that account as the reason for the dispute.
The investigation began after what police described as a verbal argument inside the business. Authorities said the encounter became physical only after it moved outside onto Eighth Avenue. Crime-scene investigators remained at the location afterward, documenting items on the sidewalk and collecting evidence connected to the case.
Police have released few details about the victim beyond his age. Authorities had not said whether the two men knew each other before the encounter, and no additional information about the circumstances leading to the argument had been made public as of Monday.
The killing occurred in the NYPD’s 10th Precinct, which covers Chelsea and nearby parts of Manhattan. Police continued investigating the sequence of events and the alleged robbery while McColley remained in custody on the murder and robbery charges.
Author note: Last updated October 12, 2026.