Salvatore Testa - Italian Market Shooting

Italian Market Shooting

In June 1982, following an attempt on the life of Harry Riccobene by Salvatore Grande, Testa was attacked. He was sitting outside a restaurant at 9th Street and Christian Avenue at Lorenzo's Pizza in the Italian Market, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania finishing a dish of steamed clams when a big Ford sedan slowed down opposite him. From the passenger side window a sawed-off shotgun poked out, and there was a thudding explosion. Testa was caught full in the side with a load of buck shot that ripped into his legs and stomach and nearly severed his left arm.

The Ford raced away down Ninth Street, swerving around cars and scattering shoppers the length of the market. A police car that had been behind it gave chase. The two cars careened through the narrow streets at seventy miles and hour, until finally the Ford hit a lamppost, skidded onto the sidewalk and flipped over. Vincent DeLuca and Joseph Pedulla, the two Riccobene soldiers who had killed Frank Monte, were pulled from the wreck and arrested.

They were released later that same day, but went into hiding. After a few days of hiding from Testa who they learned had survived, they turned themselves into the police for protective custody. After they were tried and convicted of the attempted murder on Testa, they offered to become government witnesses.