‘Breakup gone wrong.’ Family of accused Bronx gunman claims self-defense in Taylor Avenue shooting
In an exclusive interview with News 12, the parents of 28-year-old Sergio Vazquez said their son is being unfairly portrayed as violent, as he remains behind bars facing multiple charges.
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The family of a Bronx man accused of opening fire in a March 5 shooting says the incident was the result of a “bad breakup gone wrong.” They claim he acted in self-defense.
In an exclusive interview with News 12, the parents of 28-year-old Sergio Vazquez said their son is being unfairly portrayed as violent, as he remains behind bars facing multiple charges.
“My son is a good man. He doesn’t deserve this, especially as they are trying to portray him as a monster he’s not,” his father said.
Police say Vazquez shot and severely injured Fernando Noyola, a father of six, during a confrontation outside a home on Taylor Avenue. Cellphone video obtained by News 12 captures the moment shots were fired.
Noyola previously told News 12 he was defending his family when he was shot and said Vazquez became aggressive during a child custody exchange involving the victim’s sister-in-law.
Vazquez’s father disputed that account, saying his son never approached the home.
“He never took a step toward that house. He was in the street,” he said.
Family members claim the video does not show the full encounter and allege others off-camera were threatening Vazquez. His stepmother, Jecenia Rivera, said tensions had been building before the shooting.
“She kept making threats over the phone, saying what would happen to him if he came back around to drop off the little girl,” Rivera said.
However, text messages reviewed by News 12 suggest Vazquez may have anticipated violence. In one message, he wrote, “I’ll smack one of them… I’ll come back and clap at one of them.”
His family said the messages were taken out of context.
“He’s thinking it’s just a regular argument. I know it looks bad on my son, but that is not who he is. He is a great father,” his father said.
Vazquez turned himself in to the police Monday and pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges, including attempted manslaughter and reckless endangerment.
