Words by Corey Copeland
Construction workers assigned to Three Waterline Square never imagined the scene that unfolded this morning on New York City’s Upper West Side.
One fired carpenter returned to the W 59th St construction site where he fatally shot the foreman before turning the gun on himself police and witnesses said.
The victim was conducting his daily task on the 38th floor of the W 59th St building near 11th Ave. around 7:10 AM when the shooter, identified by colleagues as Sammy approached his former supervisor and fired away, striking the victim at least three times, including at least one shot to the head.
The victim died on scene. His name has not been released at this time.
Construction workers followed the commotion to the 38th floor, horrified by what they saw. Shockingly, before the shooting Sammy gave his tools to a co-worker.
“These are yours now,” he told him before turning around, pulling and committing the heinous crime, said one terrified witness.
Authorities say the shooter went down to the fifth floor where he shot himself.
His body was discovered after police conducted a floor-by-floor search of the building.
Colleagues say Sammy, who’s nickname is “The Bull,” was terminated two days ago after he got into a fight with his supervisor over a wall he had put up. Later that evening, Sammy was given his last check and terminated, colleagues said,
One witness says Sammy appeared calm when he showed up Thursday.
“I was shocked when I saw him this morning,” said Spider Pagan. “I jokingly asked him ‘Sammy, you bringing a gun to the job site?’ and now I find out he shot my friend,” continued Pagan.
Sammy was known for his strength. “We called him ‘The Bull’ because he was so strong,” Pagan said he was a tough guy and hard-headed but all in all a solid worker.
“He can flip easily … But I never thought it would go this far.”
Three Waterline Square is a luxury 34-story residential building scheduled to open in 2019.
