Cops on Tuesday cuffed a teen they suspect opened fire on Fulton Mall last week, shooting two pedestrians and his intended target amid a Friday the 13th fracas on the commercial strip in broad daylight.
The shooting followed a dispute between two women outside the Foot Locker near Gallatin Place, which quickly escalated around 1:50 pm when a bunch of men got involved and started throwing punches, witnesses said.
The 19-year-old suspect then stepped away from the brawl, pulled out a pistol, and fired several shots, according to a passerby.
“A couple of haymakers were thrown, then the guy distances himself, takes out his gun and starts shooting,” said Fahid Assad, who was about six feet from the shooter when he started firing.
The teen hit the man he pulled the gun on in the hand, in addition to shooting two bystanders, including a guy who took a bullet in his leg and a woman hit twice in the arm, according to police, who said none of the injuries appeared life-threatening.
Another observer said he was inside his car when he noticed the suspect fingering the firearm before the women’s argument even began, suggesting the shooting
may have been premeditated.
“He literally stood next to my car, fiddled with his gun, and made sure it was in his shorts,” said the witness, who asked that his name be withheld for fear of retribution. “This was before the fight. They weren’t even arguing yet.”
Police charged the shooter with three counts of assault, and the two male victims received treatment at Methodist Hospital following the incident, while doctors at Brooklyn Hospital treated the female victim, according to authorities.
