Exclusive: 50-year-old man pleads for help after being shot in Clason Point
The shooting happened around 3:45 p.m. outside a deli at the corner of Randall and Saint Lawrence avenues, according to the NYPD.
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A 50-year-old man is expected to recover after police say he was shot in the leg Wednesday afternoon in Clason Point, before running into a nearby deli pleading for help.
The shooting happened around 3:45 p.m. outside a deli at the corner of Randall and Saint Lawrence avenues, according to the NYPD. Police said the victim suffered a gunshot wound to his leg and was taken to Jacobi Medical Center in stable condition.
The deli owner, Ali Ashmali, said the man had been inside his store just minutes before the shooting, buying a bag of chips.
“He walked in, he said, ‘Please call the cops. Close the store,’” Ashmali recalled.
At first, Ashmali said he mistook the sound of the gunfire for fireworks. He later realized the customer had been shot after seeing him in the back of the store, covered in blood.
“I’ve been here 20 years and never had any problem, especially with him,” Ashmali said. “Never had a problem. I know everybody. Like I said, he’s respectful. Humble. He’s a good guy.”
Police recovered three shell casings on the surrounding corners as detectives searched for evidence.
Ashmali said he turned over surveillance footage from his property to investigators, but the camera that may have captured the shooting was not working.
“I called the tech repair guy to come and fix it,” he said.
Ashmali said the technician had been scheduled to repair the camera days earlier, but never arrived.
Investigators were also following up on reports from neighbors who told police they saw a group of people on scooters leaving the area after the shooting. Police have not confirmed whether those individuals are connected to the case or released any suspect information.
No arrests have been announced.
