Bar Owner Hurt In Bronx Shooting, Suspect May Have Shown Up With Weapon In The Past
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police are searching for a gunman after a bar owner was shot in the Bronx.
It happened early Friday morning at the El Rey De Copas Bar on White Plains Road in the Allerton section.
An irate drunk customer who was angry he had been cut off by a waitress confronted the 52-year-old owner of the bar, Mario Ramirez, and allegedly shot him twice at close range, 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck reported.
"When the person is already intoxicated, we cannot serve anymore," the victim's brother and co-owner of the bar, Gustavo Ramirez, said. "He stand up and shoot my brother."
As CBS2's Steve Langford reported, gunshots sent patrons running for the exits around 1 a.m.
Surveillance video captured the gunfire that sent customers scrambling.
"When my brother come to the table, he asked for beer again, my brother explained the reason why we can not serve anymore," Ramirez said.
A neighboring business owner noticed what was going on and came running.
"When I went inside the location the owner, Mr. Mario, he was down," Gelges Espinal said.
Espinal called 911. He said the suspect shot Ramirez twice, following a warning shot.
"He shot one time up in the are, and he shot him one time in the chest. He went down on the floor and he shot him again," Espinal said.
Gustavo Ramirez said his brother was shot in the chest and the neck. He was taken to Jacobi Medical Center in critical condition.
"He had surgery," Gustavo Ramirez said. "He's responding OK."
Amid the chaos the suspect fled and is still at large, although he is not unknown.
There may be some history here. Family and friends said the same suspect came into the bar a couple of years ago brandishing a weapon.
"I can't understand. I can't believe this happened to my brother," Gustavo said.
The suspect, a man in his 40s, was wearing black shirt and pants and fled the scene.
The investigation is ongoing.