Police say a Bronx man pointed a gun at deli customers, then opened fire on two NYPD officers, who shot him in the leg.
Story Highlights
- Police say Victor Soto, 49, pointed a gun at customers inside a Fordham deli after an argument.
- Two officers told him to drop the gun; police say he pointed it at them and opened fire.
- Officers shot him twice in the leg. He was in stable condition, and no officer was hit.
- Police have not said why he fired. Detectives say he has eight prior arrests, several of them for illegal gun possession.
Police Account: Armed Man Fires, Officers Engage
On the afternoon of Monday, November 2, an argument broke out inside Sammy Gourmet Deli on Bainbridge Avenue at East 194th Street in the Fordham section of the Bronx, police said. Detectives say Victor Soto, 49, had been harassing people inside, then pulled a gun and pointed it at customers, who ducked for cover. Police have not said why he later fired at officers.
Soto then walked north out of the deli with the gun and slammed it into the deli window, detectives said. Two officers arrived and told him to drop the weapon. Police say he refused, pointed the gun at them and opened fire, and the officers fired back. Police say Soto kept shooting as he moved north, with people nearby, before the officers hit him. The gunfire happened shortly before 3:30 p.m.
Inside the Deli: Cameras and Evidence
Surveillance cameras recorded what happened inside and outside the deli, and the officers’ body cameras were also running, police said. Body cameras are small video cameras that officers wear on their uniforms. Officers recovered a pistol at the scene.
Soto was shot twice in the leg and taken to a hospital in stable condition. He is expected to survive. No officer was struck by gunfire; both officers were taken to a hospital to be checked. Police took Soto into custody. Detectives say he has eight prior arrests, several of them for illegal gun possession. No charges had been announced in reports through Tuesday, November 3, and the account of the shootout comes from police.
Daytime Danger on a Busy Block
The shooting happened outside 2657 Bainbridge Avenue, in the 52nd Precinct, the police district that covers Fordham. Reports placed the shootout near a daycare. Police said Soto fired in broad daylight with civilians in the area. No one else was reported hurt.
Families in the Bronx deserve to run errands without gunfire on the corner. Police say the officers gave clear commands and fired only after the man pointed his gun at them and shot. When a gunman opens fire on a city street, officers have seconds to stop the threat.
What Comes Next: Footage, Forensics, and Policy
NYPD policy calls for releasing body-camera video of “critical incidents,” such as police shootings, within 30 days, with some exceptions for complex cases. That footage can show the commands officers gave and the timing of each shot. Police shootings in New York City are reviewed by the department’s Force Investigation Division, a unit that looks into every case where officers fire their guns.
Officials have not released the officers’ names or the number of shots fired. Police have not released a motive. The core facts so far: police say an armed man fired on officers on a busy street, officers fired back, he survived, and a gun was recovered.
Sources:
nypost.com, bronx.news12.com, cbsnews.com, tollbit.gothamist.com