On August 10, 1920, Joe Manzello stood curbside talking to his close associates Angelo Meli, 23 and Angelo Polizzi, 21, two more young, up and coming mobsters. Suddenly a touring car sped by and showered the three men with bullets. Manzello was hit by eight bullets, Polizzi by seven, Meli escaped injury as Manzello and Polizzi were rushed to hospital. Only Polizzi eventually recovered; Manzello died days after the shooting as a result of his injuries which included a snapped spinal cord. Manzello's followers, which included Meli, Polizzi, Black Bill Tocco, Joe Zerilli and Black Leo Cellura, were highly incensed and demanded revenge on John Vitale who was aligned with the Renda/Mirabile family and they felt had ordered the shooting.