More gang violence hitting the streets of New York City killing one person and injuring at least four, but this time in Staten Island with a minivan fatally smashing into a 26-year-old gunman who opened fire on the vehicle, authorities and witnesses said.
VivoMix – Vehicle used to slaughter gunman in Staten Island Gang Violence in NYC.
An argument between two groups outside Staten Island Criminal Court in the St. George area initiated the dramatic events at about 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday.
As a brawl broke out, a gun and a knife were flashed, sparking a chase down Central Ave. at Hyatt St. in St. George, officials said.
As one group chased the other, a handful of suspects jumped into a dark-colored minivan heading in the opposite direction — throwing the driver, Atiji Moore, 27, out in the process — made a U-turn and went around the block in an attempt to cut the gunman off.
“(Atiji) was dropping a friend off (at court) and saw that there was a little altercation between his friend and another person that was there,” said his father, Thomas Moore.
“A second later, the people fighting Atiji’s friend jumped into the minivan, punched him in the head and pushed him out of the vehicle,” the father said.
Atiji ran to a store and reported the theft, but by then it was too late, his father added.
“The people in that f—ing store would not let him call 911 or anything like that,” his father said. “He heard a loud bang. When he stepped out of the store he realized it was his van.”
The gunman fired several rounds at the van before the vehicle slammed into him, pinning him between the vehicle and a house, officials said.
“The front of the van went under the front porch of the house, thus pinning the suspected shooter between the roof of the van and the house,” said New York State Courts spokesman Lucian Chalfen. “A revolver was found on the windshield outside the car next to the man who was pinned.”
Residents on the usually quiet street were stunned by the crash — and massive police response.
“I thought it was something really serious, like a bomb or something, because there were so many cops,” said Mike Odeh, who works at the Fort Place Deli near the crash site. “It was a van with about 10 guys inside. They tried to run off. There was one guy pinned between the van and the house.”
The gunman died at the scene, officials said. His name was not immediately released.
Four people in the van suffered minor injuries, officials said. A second firearm was recovered at the scene.
The incident may have begun when, according to witnesses, three people began fighting at Staten Island Criminal Court — roughly five blocks from the crash site — and were arrested.
After they saw the judge, they were released and began warring with one another outside a bail bondsman’s office on Central Ave. across the street from the courthouse.
“This involved two gangs fighting in the street in front of the courthouse,” said New York State Court Officers Association President Dennis Quirk. “Some court officers responded. Some started running and our people started chasing them. This all went down in a matter of two minutes.”
Chalfen confirmed that three people were detained outside the courtroom and given summonses for disorderly conduct earlier in the day. Each suspect had a court appearance and were released after they saw a judge.
“Subsequently, another altercation occurred in front of the building,” Chalfen said. “The incident moved around the corner to Fort Place and St. Marks Place, and while police were in pursuit, there was a radio call over shots fired.”
“Our officers on scene took cover and witnessed one individual shooting at a minivan containing members of the rival faction,” he said. “The van plowed into the shooter and straight into a house. The shooter was killed.”
Court officers surrounded the van and ordered the suspects to come out of the vehicle. Five people were taken into custody, according to police.
“They were right behind them . . . right after them,” said the owner of the home where the van crashed, who wished not to be named. “Immediately there was hundreds of (cops).”
Charges were pending.
Some witnesses reported hearing gunshots after the crash, although neither the NYPD nor the court officers fired their weapons, officials said.
“Nobody fired their weapon except the gang member with the gun,” Quirk said.
COMMENTS