NYPD cops used high-tech facial-recognition software — and a photo on Facebook — to catch a suspect in a Queens barbershop shooting that left one victim with a graze wound to the head.
Suspect Jordan Rodriguez, 37, and his unidentified accomplice allegedly stormed into a Ridgewood barbershop on Seneca Avenue near Menahan Street about 8:50 p.m. Saturday and got into a fight with Joshua Robles, 39, who lives nearby, law-enforcement sources said. The fight may have stemmed from an unpaid debt, sources said.
“What are you going to do now?” Rodriguez allegedly shouted while brandishing a sawed-off shotgun.
The victim fought back and threw a punch, but Rodriguez smashed the butt of the gun into the victim’s chest before shooting the victim once in the back of the head, police said.
The bullet just grazed the lucky man, who later required staples in his head and was treated for bruised ribs, police said.
The victim’s brother later helped detectives from the 104th Precinct find Facebook pictures of the suspects.
“We let him log onto Facebook,” said Sgt. Michael Ackerman from the precinct’s detective squad. “Lo and behold, he comes up with a picture of both [suspects] standing next to each other at a party.”
The detective squad gave the image to Sgt. Edwin Coello, who works with facial-recognition software in the NYPD’s Real Time Crime Center, officials said.
In less than an hour, Coello was able to match the Facebook picture with a mugshot of Rodriguez, who had 12 prior arrests. Rodriguez, who also goes by the street name Armani, was arrested Thursday at his sister’s house.
Investigators are still looking for his accomplice. It doesn’t appear he’s in the system.
“[Rodriguez] walked into a barbershop and shot someone with a shotgun. He’s a pretty violent felon,” Coello said.
The NYPD has been working with the facial recognition system for several months, authorities said.
“It is mostly used for trying to identify unknown suspects,” Coello said.
Rodriguez was charged with attempted murder, criminal possesion of a weapon and felony assault, among other charges.
lmongelli@nypost.com