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New photos and video show the horrific aftermath of a 2018 attack on a well-known mob operative who was shot at the drive-thru of a McDonald’s in the Bronx.
Federal prosecutors entered the footage as evidence Monday in Brooklyn federal court, where Anthony Zottola Sr, 41, is being charged with hiring Bloods gang members to carry out the murder of his father, Sylvester “Sally Daz” Zottola, 71. feed.
Sylvester, a known associate of the Bonanno crime family, had just ordered a medium coffee at a McDonald’s drive-thru when his SUV was pinned down by several vehicles and he was shot once in the head and four times in the torso.
Prosecutors say Anthony Bloods paid mobsters $200,000 to carry out his father’s murder, as well as failed attempts in his brother Salvatore’s life, to take over the father’s $45 million real estate portfolio.
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New photos show the bloody aftermath of a 2018 attack on a known mob operative who was shot at the drive-thru of a McDonald’s in the Bronx
Sylvester ‘Sally Daz’ Zottola, a known Bonanno crime family member, was shot in his Acura in October 2018 while getting a cup of coffee at McDonald’s
Crime scene photos show the aftermath of the attack on Sally Daz, which prosecutors say was conceived by his own son
A bullet casing found at the scene of the shooting can be seen in this evidence photo
Anthony Zottola Sr (left) is accused of paying noted Bloods leader Bushawn ‘Shelz’ Shelton (right) $200,000 to orchestrate the October 2018 hit on his father Sylvester Zottola
A surveillance video shared by prosecutors shows Sylvester’s auburn Acura slowly rolling forward in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, before crashing into the McDonald’s wall.
Sylvester ‘Sally Daz’ Zottola was shot in October 2018
Several individuals then run to the driver’s side window and peek inside before running away.
Within two minutes, police resembling NYC park enforcers respond to the scene, which is located across the street from the Bronx’s Claremont Park.
The police are seen checking Sylvester for signs of life and making radio calls for backup, but the aging mobster was beyond saving.
Other chilling footage shows the bloodstained interior of Sylvester’s Acura and a shell casing found on the floor at the shooting scene.
In the initial aftermath of the shooting, NYPD investigators investigated the possibility that Albanian mobsters committed the murder in an attempt to take control of the Zottolas’ “Joke Poker” video gambling booths in the city’s bars.
But in June 2019, prosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing Anthony of hiring Bloods leader Bushawn “Shelz” Shelton to carry out the contact murder.
The shooting occurred in broad daylight on October 4, 2018 at this McDonald’s on Webster Avenue and Belmont Street in the Bronx
Within two minutes of the shooting, police resembling NYC park enforcers respond to the scene, which is across the street from the Bronx’s Claremont Park
Evidence Photos Show Sylvester’s Acura Crashed Into Drive-Thru Lane After Fata Shooting
Five bullet holes can be seen in the passenger-side window of Sylvester’s Acura
Evidence markers are seen next to the bullet-riddled car after the shooting
An evidence photo used in the case shows a suspected vehicle involved in the shooting
An unfired bullet can be seen in the center console of the suspected suspect vehicle
In coded text messages with Shelton, Anthony would refer to the planned murder as “the filming” and the “final scene” — with his father as “the actor” and the hit man as “the director.”
The indictment alleges that Shelton’s Anthony paid $200,000 in cash and hid a box full of water bottles and texted him three days after the murder, “Did you drink the water. Was it the right one?’
Shelton is said to have replied, “Definitely the right choice, thanks to the fact that I was able to water the plants and get some of them squared.”
Prosecutors allege Shelton contracted other Bloods members to carry out the October 2018 murder, as well as a botched attempt on the life of Sylvester’s other son Salvatore in July 2018.
Sylvester and Salvatore actually survived multiple clumsy assassination attempts that were allegedly part of the plot, before Sylvester was finally killed.
Last week, known Bloods hit man Ron Cabey, 32, testified about his six failed attempts to kill the father and son.
Three defendants in the case sit from left to right: Himen Ross, Alfred Lopez and Anthony Zotolla Sr as cooperating witness Ron Cabey describes his clumsy attempts to kill Sylvester and Salvatore last week
An evidence photo shows the possible murder weapon in the case
Investigators have found disguises that may have been used in the murder, including a wig
Prosecutors say another Bloods gunman, Himan “Ace” Ross, pulled the trigger in the final assault that managed to kill Sylvester.
Salvatore, who survived being shot outside his home in July 2018, also testified at the trial.
In his testimony, the older brother talked about the shootings he and his father experienced.
He also testified that his father had a sprawling real estate empire that brought in more than $1 million a year in rental income.
In her opening statements, Assistant US Attorney Devon Lash told jurors that Sylvester, who paid dues to the infamous Lucchese and Bonanno Mafia families, had spent years trying to evade attempts for his life by goons stabbing and beating him.
Lash said Sylvester was able to survive any potential killer until the 2018 shooting, which she believes was Anthony’s mastermind to seize his father’s belongings.
“The defendant wanted that check,” Lash said.
Salvatore, Sylvester’s eldest son, also talked about the attempt on his own life, in which he was shot multiple times for the murder of his father. Pictured: A sketch in Salvatore’s courtroom describing the gunshot wound he sustained on his head
Pictured: Salvatore (left) pictured walking to his brother’s indictment in 2019.
Along with his real estate empire, prosecutors said Sylvester owned an illegal poker video machine.
Anthony has been charged with murder-for-rent conspiracy, in which death was caused by use of a firearm and unlawful use and possession of firearms.
Himen Ross, the man accused of carrying out the hit for Shelton, and his alleged driver, Alfred ‘Aloe’ Lopez, are also on trial for the murder.
In their opening statements, lawyers for each of the defendants slammed the prosecution’s case against their clients, saying it was full of holes and that the trio could not be convicted.
“Not guilty,” John Burke, who is defending Lopez, told the jury.
Defense lawyers also said the witnesses the prosecution will call are not credible and are members of a violent street gang that would lie to plea deals.