Bronx Car Wash Employee Shot In Fight Over Vacuum

A 26-year-old Bronx car wash employee was shot in the leg after he refused to let a customer monopolize the station’s vacuum, police said Friday.

The gunman had brought his grey BMW to the B&G Car Wash on East Tremont Ave. near E. 180th St. in Parkchester on a handful of occasions, but only wanted to vacuum out the car’s interior without paying for a full wash, workers told the Daily News.

“We said [to the suspect], ‘Listen, we don’t do the vacuum alone,’” said a car wash manager who would only identify himself as Modou. “‘If you just want a vacuum service, go to the big car washes.’”

On Oct. 17, the stranger, this time with a young woman in the passenger seat, again brought his BMW to B&G Car Wash just to use the vacuum, outraging workers, particularly the victim.

“[The victim] told the guys, ‘Turn off the vacuum!’” Modou recalled. “[The suspect] got angry, started cursing and yelling. They got in the car and sped away.”

Thirty minutes later, the suspect returned, this time with a gun in his hand, police said.

“We didn’t know he was going to come back for that, with a gun,” Modou said. “He came through the car wash, looking for the guy that rejected him and started shooting.”

The gunman said something about the victim embarrassing him in front of his girlfriend before shooting the worker in the lower left leg.

“It’s so crazy to go for a gun over this,” Modou said. “Over a vacuum.”

EMS rushed the wounded worker to Jacobi Hospital, where he was treated and released.

“He’s a very nice guy,” Modou said of the victim. “The customers are calling him to see how he’s doing.”

No arrests have been made. Cops on Friday released images of the gunman in the hopes that someone recognizes him.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS.

[via New York Daily News]