The disgruntled employee who allegedly shot his former boss several times during a broad daylight attack on the Upper West Side was ordered to remain behind during an arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on Saturday evening.
Eduardo Diaz, 42, of Queens, was charged with attempted murder, assault and possession of a weapon in connection with the Thursday morning shooting that wounded Boris Shapiro, 47, at West 69th Street and Columbus Avenue, prosecutors said.
The irate gunman, who was fired several months ago after a computer repair job, reportedly showed up at the business near 68th Street and Columbus Avenue and confronted his boss before shooting him at close range in the leg, hip and shoulder around 9:20 a.m. , prosecutors said.
Diaz allegedly continued shooting at the victim as he lay helpless on the ground, prosecutors said, adding that the gun-wielding madman had sent threatening messages to his former boss since he was fired.
The two men worked together at nearby Lincoln Business Machines Incorporated, sources said.
Police arrested Diaz Friday morning — nearly 24 hours after he fled to the 72nd Street train station, crawled under an A train through the tunnel and managed to continue evading arrest, law enforcement sources said.
The runaway gunman wreaked havoc on some straphangers’ commutes, forcing many to lie on the floor of the subway and then evacuate through the subway tunnel.
Shapiro was taken to Mount Sinai Morningside and is expected to survive.
Diaz was also treated at a local hospital and released shortly before his court appearance, sources said.
Diaz is charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, prosecutors said.
He was remanded in custody after his arraignment and is due back in court on Nov. 14, prosecutors said.
