The man seen shooting another man while two young girls tried to avoid the shots in a viral video has been arrested, and he has a rap sheet that includes multiple violent crimes.
Pix 11 reported that the suspect, who injured his intended victim while narrowly avoiding the children, is 27-year-old Michael Lopez, who was out on parole for an attempted murder arrest from 2014. He now faces numerous charges related to the most recent incident in the Bronx, “including attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, use of a firearm, reckless endangerment, attempted reckless endangerment and more,” Pix reported.
Lopez, the outlet reported, was found at his stepfather’s house in Harlem and has five prior arrests “including for robbery, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon.” His most recent arrest was last year.
The incident was captured by store security cameras, which showed a man running from the shooter, alleged to be Lopez, and crashing into two young girls, who all fell to the ground. The shooter continues to try to fire at the victim as the two girls scramble to avoid being shot, with the older girl – who is 13 – shielding the younger girl – who is 5 – from the blasts.
Pix reported that neither girl was injured.
Police said Lopez began shooting at a 24-year-old man on June 17, with no reason for the shooting specified. “The victim suffered gunshot wounds to the back and both legs, and was taken to a nearby hospital by private means, police said at the time,” Pix reported.
Police continue to look for an alleged accomplice of Lopez connected to the shooting.
CNN reported that Lopez is suspected to be involved with the “Make it Happen Boyz” gang.
Bronx County District Attorney Darcel Clark described the history of crime in the Bronx and how Lopez’s alleged shooting would play a role in the image of the borough.
“More than 40 years ago during a Yankee game, the TV cameras focused on a building on fire not too far from Yankee Stadium and the announcer said, ‘The Bronx is burning’,” Clark said, according to CNN. “That footage defined the Bronx for years to come and we were seen as a place of destruction and arson.”
“Now, we have this video of two innocent children running for their lives. The images of a 13-year-old girl shielding her 5-year-old brother from bullets fired by a gunman in broad daylight on a Thursday afternoon,” he added. “That heart-wrenching video was seen around the world and now I fear that the catch-phrase is, ‘The Bronx is bleeding.’”
Clark added: “It took days for the suspect to be apprehended. But what we really needed was for the public to come to us immediately to let us know who the suspect was, so that we could get him off the streets as soon as possible.”
Clark also said he had met with the two girls and their parents and that the children were getting help for their trauma.
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Source: Dailywire
