An off-duty New York City police officer is in critical condition after being shot in the head during a robbery attempt Saturday evening, according to authorities.
The officer, identified as a 26-year-old and five-year veteran of the New York Police Department, travelled with a relative to Ruby Street in Brooklyn to purchase a vehicle in a transaction arranged on social media, officials said during a Saturday night news conference.
Upon arrival, the suspect pulled out a gun and “announced a robbery,” leading to an exchange of gunfire in which the officer was struck, said Michael Baldassano, assistant chief of the NYPD Detective Bureau.
NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said the officer was transported to Brookdale Hospital in critical condition. “Please keep this young officer in your prayers. He is currently fighting for his life,” Sewell said.
Watch live as Police Commissioner Sewell & Mayor Adams provide an update on a police investigation in Brooklyn. https://t.co/CEIBPcvIP3
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) February 5, 2023
Police asked the public for assistance in finding the suspect, who Baldassano said fled from the scene of the shooting. He encouraged anyone with information to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
Baldassano also said police had “no reason to believe” the suspect knew the target of the attempted robbery was an off-duty police officer, but he stressed the shooting remained under investigation.
New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams said the wounded officer is married and has children. “We will catch the person responsible for this act,” he said.
The relative who accompanied the off-duty officer was not injured, police said, per the New York Daily News.
Patrick Lynch, president of the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York, said legislators are living in a “fantasy world” when they talk about crime as if it’s not real. “We’ve asked for help before. We’re asking and demanding help now,” he said.
New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul conveyed well wishes for the officer and denounced the scourge of gun violence.
“I am praying for the recovery of an off-duty [NYPD] officer who was shot during an attempted robbery last night,” Hochul tweeted. “Everyone deserves to feel safe in our state. I will keep doing everything in my power to combat illegal gun trafficking and the gun violence epidemic.”
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