A disgruntled worker who allegedly shot his former boss multiple times in a broad daylight Upper West Side attack was ordered to remain at his arraignment Saturday night in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Eduardo Diaz, 42, of Queens, faces charges of attempted murder, assault and weapons possession in connection with the Thursday morning shooting that injured Boris Shapiro, 47, at West 69th Street and Columbus Avenue. Prosecutors announced that he has been charged with a crime.
The enraged gunman, who was fired from his computer repair job several months ago, showed up at the store near 68th Street and Columbus Avenue around 9:20 a.m., confronted his boss, then shot him in the leg at close range. He is said to have been shot in the waist and shoulder. said the prosecutor.
Prosecutors said Diaz continued firing at the victim as he lay helplessly on the ground, and that the gunman had been sending threatening messages to his former boss since he was fired. added.
Officials said the two worked together at nearby Lincoln Business Machines.
Police arrested Diaz on Friday morning. It was nearly 24 hours after Diaz fled to the 72nd Street station and managed to evade arrest by crawling under an A train in a tunnel, law enforcement officials said.
The escaped gunman wreaked havoc on some straphangers' commutes, forcing many to lie on the subway floor and flee through subway tunnels.
Shapiro was taken to Mount Sinai Morningside and is expected to survive.
Officials said Diaz was also treated at a local hospital and released shortly before his court appearance.
Diaz is charged with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, prosecutors said.
He was remanded after his arraignment and is scheduled to appear in court again on November 14, prosecutors said.
