SOUNDVIEW — A Bronx father who police believe was the unintended target of a daylight shooting outside a bodega last week died from his injuries Tuesday, police and friends said.
Victor Chafla, who worked as a cook at the VZ Deli Grocery at 1250 Morrison Ave., was stocking fruits and vegetables in the outdoor display on the afternoon of March 26 when a man at the end of the block on East 172nd Street opened fire, a police video shows.
Chafla was shot in the head, according to friends and police.
A dramatic surveillance video of the incident shows the suspect raise his handgun in the middle of the intersection and fire down Morris Avenue before turning around to quickly walk away with another man.
On Wednesday, friends remembered Chafla as a gentle, friendly and hardworking man.
"When we opened up here, he came over here all the time to help us out moving stuff," Leo Lopez, 25, who works at the adjacent Little Rock restaurant, said. "He was a good person. He was friendly. Everybody knew him."
Lopez talked to Chafla shortly before he was shot and said he was behaving normally, as it had been a very normal day so far. He caught the shooting out of the corner of his eye but could not see the face of the gunman, he said.
Police referred to Chafla as an innocent bystander and do not believe he was the intended target of the shooting.
The NYPD is still searching for suspects in Chafla's murder and has described them as two men, one wearing dark pants and a dark jacket and the other wearing a gray hoodie and gray pants.
A man had been arrested in the case, but his arrest was voided and charges were not brought against him, according to the Bronx District Attorney's office.
Lopez said he was saddened over Chafla's death.
"He was just a nice person," he said. "I feel bad that this happened to him because he never messed with anybody."
Henry Pelayo, a friend of the bodega's owner, said that Chafla was a great cook as well.
"People here loved his cooking," he said. "The guy was very dedicated."
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES), then entering TIP577.
