Trapped in a set-up.
By The American Bazaar Staff
WASHINGTON, DC: An Indian cook, Vilas Rajesh Patel, 22, is in critical condition after he was shot in the back by an unknown assailant in Jacksonville, Alabama, last week.
Police Chief Tommy Thompson said the shooting happened about 11 p.m. in the 800 block of Mountain Street Northwest, reported The Huntsville Times.
According to witnesses, Patel, a cook at a local restaurant, was at his home on Mountain Street when he received a phone call. He drove to another location further down the street, supposedly to meet someone. When he arrived, he was then shot in the back, Thompson said.
Patel was airlifted from the scene to UAB Hospital. It does not appear that Patel is a student at Jacksonville State University, Thompson said, the report said.
The local affiliate of ABC, 3340, also reported Thompson as saying that paramedics initially worried the bullet might have hit the spine of Patel. Thompson said it seems the shot narrowly missed, and exited through the victim’s chest.
The attack seemed to have been a set-up, with ABC reporting that the caller asked Patel to meet him to “talk business”, and Thompson said the business deal went bad.
“While he was there, he was shot from behind and the assailant left in a vehicle,” Thompson said. “We do have a description of the vehicle and we have a pretty good idea who the shooter is.”
Investigators are checking phone records to track down their suspect. Police want to assure the community they do not need to worry, said the report.
“People in disagreement do things they shouldn’t do and regret it later,” said Thompson, who said the current charge is for assault, but added it may become an attempted murder case.