CONCOURSE VILLAGE — Three people were shot, including a 4-year-old girl, after a street argument turned violent in The Bronx Wednesday morning, police said.
The child suffered a minor injury when she was grazed in the back by a bullet unleashed by one of two men who fired a 17-round fusillade on East 167th Street near Teller Avenue about 11:30, according to Chief of Detectives Bob Boyce.
Both gunmen, James Thomas, 57, who was struck in the back, and Fredrick Fielder, 33, who was hit in both legs, were arrested after the shooting. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening by police.
Both men were charged with assault, criminal use of a firearm, reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a firearm, according to the NYPD.
The melee started when several cars pulled up in front of 360 East 167th St. and several men started arguing with one of the victims, according to preliminary information from police. The argument turned into a fistfight "at which point one male pulled out a gun and started shooting," Boyce said.
Another man, dressed in a yellow shirt, pulled out a 9 millimeter and fired several times, the chief said.
Police said that they had not yet determined which of the suspects fired which gun.
There were three men on each side of the dispute. Seven rounds were fired from the .45 caliber and 10 shots were fired from the 9 mm.
A black vehicle fled the scene and that police believe two of the victims, including the 4-year-old, were inside. Another vehicle made a U-turn and fled Southbound on Clay Avenue, he said.
The girl and Fielder were taken to Lincoln Hospital. Thomas was taken to Bronx Lebanon Hospital.
The 4-year-old was expected to be released from the hospital later Wednesday, Boyce said.
"This argument doesn’t look like it has anything to do with this particular corner right now. It looks like it was brought in, they agreed to meet here, these two groups," he said.
A local worker told DNAinfo New York he heard about five or six shots and saw people scatter on the street.
Across Webster Avenue from the where crime scene tape blocked off the street and what appeared to be at least 7 shell casings were covered with plastic cups, the window of a Kennedy Fried Chicken was shattered from a bullet hole that had pierced it today, one worker said.
Ragwinder Singh, 56, said he was cooking when he heard several shots ring out. When he stepped out to see what happened he saw the bullet hole in the front of the eatery and that a crowd had gathered.
Jessie Tompkins, 54, had been sitting outside in his wheelchair getting some shade under the awning.
"I was sitting next to that shattered window over there," he said."It missed me about that much," he said, holding out his hands. Then, he said, he saw a black Mercedes take off from in front of a pawn shop on 167th Street, speeding south on Webster Avenue.
"It could have been a lot worse," he said.
