A crazed ex-con fired a point-blank shot at a woman he was trying to carjack in Brooklyn but her life was spared when her purse miraculously took the brunt of the blast, officials said Thursday.
Victor Walker, 52, ran up on his 39-year-old victim as she was loading luggage for a trip into her Jeep Cherokee on Patchen Ave. near Van Buren St. in Bedford-Stuyvesant about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, officials said.
He pulled a .40-caliber pistol and demanded her car keys but she instead put up a fight.
As the two struggled, Walker fired off a shot at point-blank range, officials said.
The bullet slammed through the victim’s purse and wallet and into her clothes — but somehow never hit her body, officials said.
When the shot failed to stop her, Walker repeatedly pistol-whipped the woman, leaving her with a deep cut to her head, according to police.
He took her keys and sped off with her Jeep.
Medics took his victim to Woodhull Hospital, where she needed stitches to close the gash on her head, officials said.
Cops cavassing the area spotted Walker inside the stolen Jeep on Hemlock St. and Belmont Ave. in East New York — roughly four miles from where the car jacking took place, officials said.
A shell from a pistol and two ounces of heroin were found on the seat next to Walker, according to cops.
Police hit Walker with a slew of charges including attempted murder, robbery, assault, weapons possession and criminal use of a firearm, officials said.
A judge ordered him held on $25,000 bail during brief arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court Wednesday afternoon.
Walker has a lengthy criminal record with 22 arrests dating back to 1982, officials said.
He did a three-year stint in prison after he was convicted of attempted robbery in 1986, according to court records.
With Aaron Showalter
