Man Shot In The Face During Robbery In Queens
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A man was recovering on Tuesday from being shot in the cheek during an attempted robbery in Queens.
CBS2's Clark Fouraker spoke with the victim's mother, who says her son doesn't have any enemies.
"Take the money, take the cell phone, take the computer, take whatever but don't harm him," Mae Eng said.
Her son, Richard Eng, is in his 40s and lives with his parents. Mae spoke behind a grate at their home, and said Richard worked the late shift at a nearby restaurant and arrived home after 2 am.
"I heard the pop and then I hear somebody screaming and then I hear 'help, help, help'," neighbor Rondell Boodie said.
Police say Eng had parked his car on a side street and was walking around the corner to his parents' apartment when they say a man approached him, asking for his car keys and wallet.
"He ends up being shot in the cheek," NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said. "He's expected to survive. All indications at this point, it is preliminary, indicate an attempted robbery."
Police say the suspect did get away with a cell phone and wallet, but not Richard's BMW.
"I was trying not to look out the window because I don't know what that was like," Boodie said. "I'm not looking out the window because, you know, bullets could fly."
Neighbors say Queens Village is typically a safe area.
"This is very surprising," neighbor Peggy De La Cruz said. "This is a very good neighborhood. I was very surprised when I saw you guys, so really surprised."
Eng's mother says she hopes her son is able to recover to help police understand exactly what happened and find the shooter.
"Whoever did this to my son," Mae said, "God will punish you."
