'I just want justice,' Lackawanna man says city dropped the ball on shooting investigation

For the past two months, RJ Bevilacqua says he has been reliving a nightmare.

He's looking for justice and says the city of Lackawanna has left him in the dark.

GOOD EVENING ONCEAGAIN, I'M KEITHRADFORD.A LACKAWANNASANITATION WORKERIS TELLING HIS SIDETHE STORY TONIGHT...AFTER HE WAS SHOTWHILE RIDING ON THEBACK OF A RECYCLINGTRUCK IN EARLY JUNE.BUT AS SEVENEYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER TAYLOREPPS TELLS USTONIGHT... CITYOFFICIALS AREPAINTING A DIFFERENTPICTURE OF WHATHAPPENED THAT DAY.RJ "IT'S TRAGIC.

YOUKNOW I STILL HAVEMIXED EMOTIONS ANDBAD DREAMS ABOUT IT.SOMEONE TRYING TOKILL ME."FOR THE PAST TWOMONTHS..RJBEVILACQUA SAYS HEHAS BEEN RELIVING ANIGHTMARE.RJ "I MEAN WHO WANTSTO SHOOT A GARBAGEMAN.

HE'S PICKING UPYOUR GARBAGE ANDYOU GET SHOT.

IT'SVERY BIZARRE."THE LACKAWANNAMAN WAS FILLING INAS A SANITATIONWORKER ON JUNEFIRST...HE SAYS HEWAS RIDING ON THEBACK OF THE TRUCKON ABBOTT ROADWHEN HE HEARD AGUNSHORJ "AND THEN MY BAHEATED UP REAL BAD,IT FELT LIKE 100 BEESSTINGING MY BACK."NOW HE SAYS IT'SDIFFICULT TOSTAND..HE USES ACANE FOR SUPPORT.HE'S LOOKING FORJUSTICE, AND CLAIMTHE CITY OFLACKAWANNADROPPED THE BALLRJ "THE LAST I HEARDABOUT IT, THEY SAIDTHEY'RE DIGGING INTOIT AND I KNOWNOTHING ELSE ABOUTTHE CASE OR HOW IT'SGOING.

I'M IN THEDARK."BEVILACQUA SAYS HEREACHED OUT TODETECTIVES ABOUTHIS CASE AND DIDN'TGET A CALL BACK.RJ "THEINVESTIGATION ITSELF,WHY WAS IT KEPTSECRET THIS LONG?

IFIGURED THEYWOULD'VE BEEN INCONTACT WITH ME."IN A STATEMENT TO7EWN, DIRECTOR OFPUBLIC SAFETY JOHNWOLF WRITES HE ISSADDENED ANDCONCERNED BY THISEVENT, BUT THAT CITYOFFICIALS DID NOTHIDE THIS SITUATIOFROM THE PUBLIC..HE WRITES THAT NOSHELL CASINGS ORWEAPONS WEREFOUND IN THE AREAAND WITNESSES DIDNOT HEARGUNSHOTS..HE ADDS THATBEVILAQUA'S CLAIMSOF BEING SHOT BY22 CALIBER BULLETARE INCONSISTENTWITH INFORMATION HEPROVIDED TO POLICE..HE WRITES THAT X-RAYS SHOW AFRAGMENTCONSISTENT WITH APELLET..NOT A 22CALIBER BULLET..WHEN BEVILACQUAWENT PUBLIC WITHHIS SITUATION OVERTHE WEEKEND..HESAYS HE RECEIVED ACALL FROM CITYOFFICIALS...SAYINGTHEY AREDISAPPOINTED IN HIM.RJ "I DIDN'T SLIP ON ABANANA PEEL.

I'M NOTFAKING A SHOULDEROR KNEE INJURY.

THEMAYOR SAID SHE WASVERY DISAPPOINTEDME WHEN I WENT TOTHE NEWS, BUT WHATWAS I SUPPOSED TODO?"WOLF SAYS THE CIIS FULLY SUPPORTIVEOF BEVILACQUA IN HISFAMILY AS THEYCONTINUE TINVESTIGATE.RJ "I HOPE THE POLICEDEPARTMENT GETSTHE INDIVIDUAL THATSHOT ME BEFORE HESHOOTS SOMEBODYELSETAYLOR "WOLF SAYSTHE INVESTIGATION ISONGOING AND HE HASNO FURTHER COMMENTUNTIL THE SHOOTER ISFOUND, INLACKAWANNA, TEPPS,7EWN."