A New York City parking lot attendant and a robbery suspect are facing attempted murder charges after a downtown shooting.
The shooting happened early Saturday morning in a parking garage on West 31st Street outside the Moynihan Train Hall in Penn Station, police said.
Investigators said robbery suspect Charles Rhodie was investigating parked cars when parking attendant Moussa Diarra confronted him around 5:30 a.m. That’s when police said Rhodie pulled out a gun and shot the assistant, who reportedly suffered a wound. the head.
Diarra then grabbed the same gun and returned fire, according to police. The suspect suffered a gunshot wound to the torso. Both men were taken to a nearby hospital where they were expected to survive.
Police officials said each man faces charges of attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. Rhodie faces an additional charge of robbery.
A message to the district attorney’s office about whether prosecutors would pursue charges against the parking attendant was not immediately returned Sunday.
The shooting echoes a fatal stabbing in July last year in which a Manhattan winery employee had been charged with murder after killing a man who first attacked him. The case caused an outcry in New York City and across the country.
