Thursday, December 28, 2006

Staten Island, New York

From the Staten Island Advance of December 28, 2006
Victim fires his gun, terrified bandits flee

Bold attack on fish seller with a bundle of money outside South Shore bank

A 71-year-old fish seller about to deposit nearly $30,000 from his business was jumped yesterday outside a Prince's Bay bank by three bandits, who fled for their lives with half his cash as he fired several shots at them.

It was not known if anybody was hit.

Located next to a preschool, which was in session, the Richmond County Savings Bank where the shooting erupted is at the corner of Hylan and Seguine Avenue.

Employees of the preschool said they didn't realize what had happened until after the fact, when police arrived.

Police are looking into the possibility that the victim, a Prince's Bay was followed all the way from the Hunts Point market in the Bronx.

As of last night, the bandits remained at large.

The man was on his way home with the cash in a deposit bag when he pulled into the bank at 5770 Hylan Blvd. just after 9 a.m., according to police.

Before the man could reach the bank's front doors, three men -- described by police as white and in their 20s -- knocked him down from behind, then sprayed something in his face. They grabbed between $10,000 and $15,000 from the bag, spilling some of the cash on the ground, and fled in a maroon Ford, according to police sources.

The man, who was carrying a licensed weapon, fired several shots at the fleeing robbers, but it's unclear if he hit them, cops said. A police spokesman said it's unlikely the man will face any criminal charges for using his gun.

He was taken to an area hospital, where he was treated for an injured finger, police said.

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