THE BRONX — A man donning a brown suit who allegedly shot a newspaper salesman in the Bronx on Friday was charged with attempted murder in what may have been a turf war, police and witnesses said.
Police and winesses say Horace Coleman, 52, pulled out a gun in front of the Crown Diner on East 161st Street and Gerard Avenue, one block away from Yankee Stadium, and shot the unidentified vendor around 1:25 p.m.
A witness said Coleman shot the newspaper salesman at least two times, once in the stomach.
"He didn't care about the kids or nobody," said street vendor Debbie Haughton, 55, who said she witnessed the incident. "He just started shooting."
Another person on scene was also hit, police said.
Coleman then dropped his gun in front of a nearby pizzeria and put his hands up, Haughton said. Court officers, who were nearby, corraled him, according to witnesses.
Witnesses said the shooting may have followed an ongoing feud over a corner spot.
"It's definitely a turf dispute," said Gavino Escoto, 61, a vendor who was across the street from the shooting.
Coleman is being charged with attempted murder, criminal use of a firearm, criminal possesion of weapon and two counts of assault, police said on Friday.
The newspaper salesman was taken to Lincoln Hospital and is in critical condition, police said.
The condition of the second victim was not immediately known.
