NEW YORK, NEW YORK — A Manhattan parking garage attendant, Moussa Diarra, 57, has been charged with attempted murder after he wrestled a gun away from an alleged thief and shot him in the chest.
The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. on Saturday when Diarra saw a man looking into cars at the West 31st Street garage. Diarra confronted the man, Charles Rhodie, 59, who then pulled out a gun, according to the New York Post.
In the struggle that ensued, Diarra was shot in the stomach and grazed by a bullet in the ear before he managed to turn the weapon on Rhodie.
Both men have been charged with attempted murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. Additionally, Rhodie was charged with burglary.
It is unclear whether prosecutors will pursue the attempted murder charge against Diarra.
The charges against Diarra have sparked public outrage, with some comparing the case to that of Manhattan bodega clerk Jose Alba.
Alba was charged with murder following a confrontation in his store, but the charge was later dropped amid public pressure.
Family friend Mariame Diarra criticized the decision to charge Moussa Diarra, arguing that it was self-defense and that the attendant was protecting his business. Others in the community have also expressed disbelief at the charges, questioning why a man defending himself should be arrested.
The case has led some to criticize Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, accusing him of making the city unsafe by pursuing charges against individuals defending themselves.
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