Victim speaks about attack

By Joseph Domelowicz Jr.

Assault victim Eddie Banks of 135 Shore Drive in Winthrop spoke this week about the frightening attack he survived just a few feet from his own doorway.
Banks, a self-employed car dealer and Bosnian immigrant told the Sun Transcript Tuesday, that he has no idea who would want to hurt him and he said that he felt lucky to be alive, after being attacked by two men brandishing firearms in his driveway late Monday night.
“I was coming up the driveway, like I always do and I saw the first man (crouching) behind my other car, and he had his face masked, so I could not see him,” said Banks.
Banks said he immediately thought the man was there to rob him and he began offering money and his watch to the stranger to avoid trouble.
“I even offered him the keys to my car, but he still tried to get me to come to the back of the driveway,” said Banks. “When he tried to pull me (towards the back) I tackled him to the ground, but then the other guy jumped out and the gun went off.”
Banks said he did not know how long the fight lasted, but said that both men fled the scene when neighbors came out of their homes to see what was going on.
Banks said he has lived in this country for 10 years, after emigrating here from war torn Bosnia with his parents ten years ago.
“My parents gave up everything to bring us here and provide safety for my brother and I,” said Banks. “To have something like this happen here, it’s just hard to believe.”
Witnesses told police that they saw the two attackers get into a white BMW SUV, which they had parked around the corner prior to the attack.
However, Banks said he is not sure, and said that he thinks there is a possibility that the witnesses, who reportedly saw the men enter his driveway, where they lied in wait for banks arrival, may have been involved in the incident somehow.
“They seemed like they wanted to be helpful, but if that is so, why didn’t they call police when they saw what was happening,” Banks asked.
Police have said that Banks has been helpful with the investigation so far, and they are confident that they will be able to develop a list of suspects in the coming days. However, it is still worth noting that Banks was attacked in the driveway of his own home, by people who appear to have been waiting for him.