Victor Soto shot after pointing gun at Bronx deli patrons

A 49-year-old man sustained injuries in a police-involved shooting at a Bronx deli on Monday afternoon after a dispute turned violent. Victor Soto was taken to a hospital and listed in stable condition following an exchange of gunfire with two NYPD officers near East 194th Street and Bainbridge Avenue.

Detectives described the sequence of events at a news conference on Monday evening. They stated that Soto was arguing with several customers inside Sammy Gourmet Deli around 3:20 p.m. Surveillance footage captured the incident both inside and outside the store. Police said Soto was harassing people before pulling out a firearm and pointing it at the group, causing them to duck for cover.

According to officials, Soto then left the deli and headed northbound with the gun. He reportedly slammed the weapon into the deli's glass window. When two officers arrived and ordered him to drop the weapon, Soto did not comply. He pointed the gun at the officers, leading to an exchange of fire. Detectives said Soto continued to fire while moving north past civilians before the officers struck him.

Records reviewed by detectives indicated Soto had eight prior arrests, several involving criminal possession of a firearm. The two responding officers were transported to a hospital for evaluation. No officer was struck during the incident, and a firearm was recovered from the scene. Body cameras and surveillance video provided additional documentation of the event.

Traffic delays and road closures remained in effect in the area following the shooting. The incident occurred just before 3:30 p.m. at 2657 Bainbridge Avenue.