A pedestrian in Midtown was shot in the back with a Gel Blaster pellet gun during the Monday morning rush, one of three similar incidents in the city overnight, according to police.
The 47-year-old victim reported that he was walking on Fifth Avenue near 35th Street in Manhattan around 8:15 a.m. when he felt something hit his back.
He confronted three bike-riding suspects nearby, leading to a physical altercation.
The suspects proceeded to assault the victim with punches and kicks before fleeing north on Fifth Avenue.
The motive behind the attack was not immediately clear.
About 45 minutes earlier, two suspects shot a 62-year-old man with a Gel Blaster gun at the corner of Clinton and Stanton streets on the Lower East Side. The suspects fled north on Clinton Street, and the victim declined medical attention.
The reason for this attack was also uncertain.
Later that night, a 51-year-old MTA fare collection worker was shot in the back and elbow with a BB gun in The Bronx while checking his vehicle’s tires on Valentine Avenue. The incident left the man with minor injuries and a shattered driver’s side window.
The shooting appeared to be unprovoked, and the victim was unsure of the source of the shots.
Authorities have not confirmed if these incidents are connected.
