Son of man, 80, hit by stray bullet in Bronx says gun violence is ‘out of our control’
The son of an 80-year-old military veteran who was struck by a stray bullet in the Bronx said the violence in their neighborhood feels “out of our control” — as the elderly man recovers from the slug that’ll stay in his body forever.
Andres Rodriguez, who has Alzheimer’s disease, had just left TJ Maxx with his wife and niece when the slug hit him in the buttocks in East Morrisania around 4:45 p.m., his family told The Post on Tuesday.
“It was the most harmless thing they could do,” his son Miguel Rodriguez said.
Video released by cops on Tuesday shows the octogenarian crossing the street at East 174th Street and Vyse Avenue, then suddenly grabbing his behind and stumbling as shots ring out.
“He grabbed his chest,” his son said, explaining that his dad didn’t even realize what had happened at first due to his Alzheimer’s. “He started falling back and then hit the floor.”
Miguel Rodriguez added, “He lost a lot of blood.”
The family’s neighborhood has seen more than double the number of shootings so far this year, with NYPD statistics showing 15 incidents of gunplay with 18 victims compared to six and seven, respectively, last year.
But the son, who learned of the shooting through his mother, said his family has no plans to change the way they go about their daily lives.
“This area is hot. It’s always been. It feels out of our control,” said Miguel Rodriguez. “This is just where we live … Clearly, more police presence would help.”
Andres Rodriguez was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital and released Tuesday afternoon. His family said he served in the military in the US but didn’t know for which branch or when.
The bullet remains lodged inside his buttocks.
“They won’t remove the bullet because it is deep inside,” Rodriguez’s wife, Carmen, said.
Speaking in Spanish, she said she didn’t even realize the loud sounds were gunshots at first.
“I thought it was something else … Lots of pigeons flew up,” she said. “We don’t know who it was or why this happened. They say there are lots of gangs there and it was intended for someone else.”
“There is lots of violence around here … It’s all the time,” she added. “I don’t know what to say, it’s not easy. You have to really look now.”
While the senseless shooting left the family shaken, Miguel Rodriguez was relieved his dad escaped with non-life-threatening injuries.
“I definitely feel blessed it wasn’t worse,” he said. “He’s doing well and is in good spirits so that’s all that matters.”
The unknown gunman, who was aiming at someone else and missed, was still in the wind Tuesday.
Additional reporting by Craig McCarthy