Man shot in robbery may never walk again

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Mayor Byron Brown vows to "spare no expense" finding the armed robber who gunned-downed a promising young musician in Buffalo's Elmwood Village this week.

From his hospital bed, Tony Lorenzo told News 4, "I was robbed. I can't feel my legs right now."

For now, 25-year-old Tony Lorenzo is paralyzed from the waist down, with a bullet lodged in his spinal collumn. It happened Wednesday night at about 10:30 on Bird Avenue near Richmond.

Tony's friend, Alex Artemas, said, "Him and I were just walking to a friend's house, and it was just a complete random hit, came from behind, never saw it coming."

"The kid asked me, he said, 'Give me what you got.' And before I could even get my wallet out, he just shot me," said Tony.

Initial reports were that the victim may have known his attacker.

Tony's mom, Caroline Bronckers, said, "He absolutely did not know his attacker, and I want that cleared."

Tony added, "I'm not a gang banger. I'm not someone who owes anyone money. I don't start beefs. I'm just a normal guy, you know? I work at Pano's Restaurant."

He's also lead guitarist in a local band, and has spent his whole life in the Elmwood and Bird area. He was surprised to hear that the attack on him came one week after a man with a gun forced his way into a home on Ashland Avenue.

"I'm not going run away from my town. I'm not going to up and move away. I want people on the west side to realize this stuff is happening and to look out for each other," said Tony.

The determination of Tony and his family even prompted the mayor to come to ECMC and pay him a visit at his bedside.

Tony said, "Byron Brown walked up here on his own accord and told me he is sparing no expense to find who did this to me, and I can't tell you you how proud I was to hear that."

Doctors have to wait for the swelling to go down before they can remove the bullet. Friends in the local music community plan to hold some kind of fundraiser, but their first hope is catching the man who did this.