Cops: Gangster's son shot, killed by police

Police said the depressed son of a Brooklyn gangster was shot dead by officers after he wounded the owner of a tire store in a violent confrontation captured on a surveillance camera.

Carl Lastorino, 45, son of reputed Lucchese crime family captain Frank Lastorino, appeared intent on getting himself killed when he went to the store Monday and started shooting at owner Peter Argentina, said New York police spokesman Paul Browne.

The shooting inside Peter's Tire and Rims Service on Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn was caught by a store video surveillance camera, which depicted Lastorino firing at Argentina, who police said is a reputed member of the Lucchese family.

Browne said the shooting isn't believed to have stemmed from any mob activity but rather appears to be the result of the unemployed Lastorino's mental state. Lastorino had left two suicide notes and had spent that last five years out of work, relegated to riding his bicycle, said Browne.

"It appears when he left the house today he was intent of getting killed," noted Browne.

Cops responding to the shooting saw Lastorino enter a livery cab. As the police car pulled up, Lastorino emerged and confronted the officers with a .38-caliber handgun, leaving behind a second .38-caliber handgun in the backseat, said officials.

When officers shouted "Stop, police! Don't move, drop your gun!" Lastorino didn't comply and pointed the five-shot .38-caliber revolver at a sergeant and police officer, each of whom fired once, striking Lastorino, who was later pronounced dead at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, officials said.

Argentina was in stable condition with a hand and arm wounds at Brookdale, said investigators. He was identified as  a member of the Lucchese crime family in Manhattan federal court a few years ago during a trial of John "Junior" Gotti.