NEWARK - A man was shot Sunday morning after a dispute over the shovel he was using to clear an elderly neighbor's driveway.

According to Newark police reports, the 38-year-old victim told officers he found the shovel on the ground outside the neighbor's Lindsley Avenue home in the city's West Ward. As he dug away at the more than two feet of snow around 10:15 a.m., however, he was confronted by a female neighbor confronted him claiming it belonged to her.

The man returned the shovel, but not before "words were exchanged", according to the police report.

While walking back to his home, he was again accosted by the woman and three men, one of whom pointed a gun at the victim's head. At the woman's command, the assailant fired a single shot at the victim, striking him in the buttocks, the report said.

The victim attempted to grab the gun, but was struck in the mouth by a second woman during an ensuing struggle. He then fled back to his home, while the group of attackers filed into a green vehicle and fled east on Lindsley Avenue, the report said.

Newark police spokesmen did not return a request for additional details, and the victim's condition as of Monday was unclear. No information on arrests in the case has been made public.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find