80-Year-Old Man Struck By Stray Bullet In South Bronx
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The surge in gun violence in New York City contiues.
Monday night, an 80-year-old Bronx man was hit by a stray bullet. He was wounded while walking with his wife.
CBS2's Natalie Duddridge spoke with her in Crotona Park East, where the shooting happened.
Surveillance video appears to show a suspect pull out a gun and fire into the street on East 174th Street near Vyse Avenue at around 4:30 p.m. Monday.
One man said he heard it from his window.
"Bam! Bam! Like firework," the man said.
Police said a bullet hit 80-year-old Andres Rodriguez in his buttocks while he was shopping with his wife. She didn't want her face on camera, but spoke to Duddridge in Spanish.
"The shot him right there," his wife said, pointing to her posterior. "And I look at myself, and I am covered in blood... and I said 'Call, call an ambulance!' He isn't feeling well. Everyone started running toward us and he got shot."
Her husband was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital and is listed in stable condition. He's expected to be released later Tuesday night.
Investigators believe the suspect was aiming at an intended target who is not yet known.
"I feel horrible because he could be my grandfather. It could be my dad. Nobody wants a loved one to be gone because of some stupidity," resident Martin Escovoza said.
Police released surveillance video showing the suspect talking to what appears to be a group of teens or kids. The incident is concerning for area parents, who said they want to see more officers out.
"Maybe they should over-police if situations like this keep happening," Aquanda Crawford said. "They probably need more police around.
"Every time it gets hotter ... a lot more drama starts," Crawford added.
Since early Monday there have been six shooting victims citywide. So far this year there have been 558 people shot shot, compared to 315 at this time last year.
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea spoke on NY1 Tuesday, saying officers are working hard to get guns off the streets.
"When you look at the gun arrests that have been made throughout New York City, we have in the first quarter of this year exceeding anything in the prior 20-plus, quite a bit, years. So now we need those to play themselves out through the court system. We need consequences for those," Shea said.
Shea also said 800 officers graduated from the academy last week and will help deal with this latest round of crime.
Anyone with information about the shooting 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 on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
