Man shot in head during attempted robbery at Bronx gas station
NEW YORK - A man was shot in the head while pumping gas overnight in the Bronx.
The shooting happened shortly before 1 a.m. at a Gulf station off Webster Avenue in Tremont.
Police said the 51-year-old man was pumping gas when someone tried to rob him of his chain. There was a struggle, and the victim sprayed the suspect with gasoline before he was shot in the head.
"Luckily, the guy ran into the gas station to save his own life," one person in the neighborhood told CBS2.
"It just lets me know I keep making the right decision by not bringing my son over here and not pumping my own gas over here," one woman said.
Investigators taped off the gas station, where a white Range Rover could be seen with its gas tank popped open and the pump lying on the ground.
A group of Dunkin employees arrived early for work only to find a crime scene. They said this was the first shooting they know of that has taken place at the gas station.
"This happened the first time here, other days it's good. This area, the people are good, but I don't know what happened today," one worker said.
"I do ... work in this area for, like, 20 years. I never had a problem at this gas station," one man said. "I wish the guy is alright, whoever got shot."
Others are still watching their backs.
"When you talk safety in general in New York, it hasn't been the same since 2020," one man said.
The victim was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital in critical but stable condition.
Police said the suspect fled south on Webster Avenue.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.