New York Police shooting
In this image taken from video provided by the New York Police Department a man, who the NYPD is seeking the public's assistance in identifying in connection to a police involved shooting, walks down a street on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, in New York. Two New York City police officers narrowly escaped with their lives when a gunman fired into their patrol van Saturday night, wounding one of them in an attack officials called an attempted assassination. (New York Police Department via AP)

By Sophia Rosenbaum and Deepti Hajela, AP

A gunman is in custody after he ambushed police officers in the Bronx twice in 12 hours, wounding two in attacks that ignited outrage from officials who blamed the violence on an atmosphere of anti-police rhetoric.

The man, whose name was not immediately released, was captured after he walked into a police station in the Bronx and started shooting early Sunday, hitting a lieutenant in the arm and narrowly missing other police personnel before he ran out of bullets, lay down and tossed his pistol, police said.

That attack came just hours after the same man approached a patrol van in the same part of the Bronx and fired at two officers inside, wounding one, police said.

Despite multiple shots fired in both incidents, nobody was killed and all are expected to recover, police said.

“It is only by the grace of God and the heroic actions of those inside the building that took him into custody that we are not talking about police officers murdered inside a New York City police precinct,” New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said at a press conference Sunday.

NYPD Officer Shot
This Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020 , image taken from video provided by the New York Police Department shows a man, who the NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying in connection to a police involved shooting, in New York. Two New York City police officers narrowly escaped with their lives when a gunman fired into their patrol van Saturday night, wounding one of them in an attack officials called an attempted assassination. (New York Police Department via AP)

Shea called the gunman a “coward” and said he had a lengthy criminal history, including a 2002 shooting and carjacking in which he also fired a gun at police officers. Shea said the man was paroled from prison in 2017 after an attempted murder conviction.

The commissioner also lashed out at criminal justice reform activists who have held demonstrations against excessive force by police in recent months, including a large protest in Grand Central Terminal. He suggested that the protests helped create an anti-police environment.


“These things are not unrelated. We had people marching through the streets of New York City recently,” Shea said. “Words matter. And words affect people’s behavior.”

Shea didn’t offer any evidence that the gunman in this weekend’s attacks knew of those protests or was influenced by them.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, who won office partly on a promise to reform overly aggressive policing of minority communities, also suggested that while police had a right to protest, anti-police sentiment had gotten out of hand.

“This was an attempt to assassinate police officers. We need to use that word,” the Democratic mayor said Sunday.

Two security camera videos, posted on social media, captured the shooting inside the headquarters of the 41st Precinct, which happened shortly before 8 a.m.

In one of them, the gunman is seen sauntering into the precinct lobby, before briefly disappearing off screen. Police said the lieutenant who was shot returned fire, but didn’t hit the gunman.

Then, the gunman rushed into a side room and fired at two people there, including a civilian employee, as they fled. He then retreated to the lobby and dove to the floor.

In another video from a different angle, an officer in the precinct lobby is seen reacting to the first gunshot. Officers converge, pointing their guns, and the gunman’s pistol is seen sliding away from him across the floor.

The shooting inside the precinct headquarters came just hours after another attack in the same section of the Bronx, involving the same suspect.

Two officers narrowly escaped with their lives when a gunman fired into their patrol van just before 8:30 p.m Saturday.

The two uniformed officers, partners for eight years and friends since middle school, were sitting in their van with emergency lights activated when a man approached them and engaged them in conversation, Shea said.

The man asked the officers for directions, then pulled out a gun “without provocation,” the commissioner said. The man fired multiple shots, grazing the officer behind the wheel in the chin and neck, and narrowly missing an artery.

Neither officer returned fire. The officer’s partner drove him to a hospital nearby and he is expected to be released for the hospital Sunday.

“He is lucky to be alive,” Shea said. “He is expected to make a full recovery and it is a miracle.”

The attacks recalled other unprovoked assaults on police officers sitting in their patrol vehicles.

In 2017, a gunman killed Officer Miosotis Familia as she sat in her patrol vehicle in the Bronx. In 2014, two officers, Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, were shot dead in their patrol car in Brooklyn by a man upset about recent police killings of unarmed black men.

The killings of Ramos and Liu had also followed large street protests and some officers blamed de Blasio for expressing solidarity with the demonstrations, and turned their backs on the Democrat at the funerals.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a tweet Sunday he was “horrified by the multiple attacks” on police. “NY’s law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. These attacks are heinous.”

President Donald Trump immediately used the shootings to assail New York’s Democratic mayor and governor.

“I grew up in New York City and, over many years, got to watch how GREAT NYC’s ‘Finest’ are. Now, because of weak leadership at Governor & Mayor, stand away (water thrown at them) regulations, and lack of support, our wonderful NYC police are under assault. Stop this now!” he tweeted.

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112 COMMENTS

      • Heroic because had it been a school the police would have waited for more (any) to die before shooting back so that it would be a newsworthy event bolstering the civil disarmament dialogue. But, crap he wasn’t shooting at children, he’s shooting and we can’t have that

    • A handgun doesn’t magically become the Hammer of Thor just because it is being used by someone acting righteously. The article specifically stated “Police said the lieutenant who was shot returned fire, but didn’t hit the gunman.” So it’s hardly a surprise that the suspect was alive.

    • Their duty is to use sufficient force necessary to resolve the situation quickly, with minimal damage to property or injury to themselves, the public or to the suspect. Summary execution soley because they’re amped up over having been shot at or their colleague having been shot is not within their scope of duties.

      These officers appear to have conducted themselves professionally, with the possible exception of the one raining blows down upon the shooter. I’d have to look more closely at the evidence there.

    • This guy shouldn’t have been released from prison until he was so old he couldn’t do something like this.
      Poor shooting from all involved.
      Deblasio’s NY. No doubt, more to follow.

      • Remember, it never says they didn’t try. NYPD marksmanship being the stuff of legends, I’d be curious to know how many rounds they all fired.

  2. Here we go again.
    If the Dumpster gets re-elected we’ll see more of the same.
    These people have the Dumpster’s revengeful mind set.

  5. Different subject. Bill gates pledged $100,000,00 to fight corona virus. How much did Bloomberg give? Is destroying the second amendment more important than stopping a pandemic?

    • Bloomturd (Everytown for Gun Safety) proved he was a scumbag when he left the Sandy Hook victims holding the defenses legal fees bag after the Judge ordered it.
      He basically victimized those people TWICE. Got their hope up, sued, then ran when the check came.
      Lil’ Mikey will cut and run when the money is not advancing HIS interests.

  6. We all know who’s fault this is. It makes me sick the hard working men and women of law enforcement in NY deserve better.

  7. When I saw this story, I was surprised Taurus 4 Life was posting this AM on TTAG.
    Seems like something he would do, if for no other reason than to get a taste of some of that NY prison tossed salad.

    • Man bruh you’re so incoherent and unstable the Red Flag affidavit pretty much fills out itself…

      • There are less painful ways to commit suicide than to file a false affidavit against somebody who is more than happy to track you down and string you up with piano wire. Fun fact, I can guarantee that no red flag search team will ever find all of my guns or ammo.

        • You’re such a god damn coward. You make James Campbell and Madmaxx look tough. Fuck off douche.

        • pwrserge says:
          February 9, 2020 at 13:26
          “There are less painful ways to commit suicide than to file a false affidavit against somebody who is more than happy to track you down and string you up with piano wire. Fun fact, I can guarantee that no red flag search team will ever find all of my guns or ammo.”

          No need to hunt ANYONE down. Karma travels on a long arc thru the universe, and the arc direction is ALWAYS toward justice.
          People like TurdUs4Life are always ensuring their own demise.

      • You know, with all this “Red Flag” and “Humblebrag” BS you spew, I have a term for what you provide in these comment sections on TTAG, Douchebag Splatter, it can be your new name when you drop T4L.
        The terms definition basically writes itself, all anyone needs to do is look thru the TTAG comment section to understand Douchbag Splatters meaning.
        Oh, and enjoy that TurdAss.

        • Hahahahahaha, where was I?
          Getting filters for the climate control system in my home.
          Did I mention it’s got 3 climate zones, 2 stories, with a climate controlled 4 bay garage, on a double size lot, with the largest pool in the neighborhood, and more deck space than the ENTIRE BASEMENT you dwell in.
          Suck it hard douchebag splatter.

        • I freely share with my neighbors and friends, we have several cookouts/pool parties each summer, usual turnout of almost 100 people.
          Same with range days and trips to a neighbors property, I bring interesting firearms, and enough ammo for everyone to enjoy them.
          I’m happy letting others enjoy the fruits of my labors.

          • we have several cookouts/pool parties each summer, usual turnout of almost 100 people

            Cookouts? MMMMM… just thinking about those trans fats, I have got to throw a NY Strip on the grill and nuke me a baker with REAL butter just soaking that bad boy, while I get ready for the live semi finals of the Winternationals streaming on the big screen from the iphone 11…

        • “Cookouts? MMMMM… just thinking about those trans fats, I have got to throw a NY Strip on the grill and nuke me a baker with REAL butter just soaking that bad boy, while I get ready for the live semi finals of the Winternationals.”
          Nice, I just did a pair of massive Tomahawk Ribeyes with smoked gouda mac n cheese last night for 4 people. Tonight is a salad night.
          Will be watching the Winternarionals too.

          • Two favorites, ribeye and strip but bloooooody right? shave it, wipe its ass and throw it on a plate, good to go.. I’ll save the gouda for later, gouda apples and those fussy little crackers….

        • “Two favorites, ribeye and strip but bloooooody right? shave it, wipe its ass and throw it on a plate, good to go”
          Did the Tomahawks to an internal temp of 130deg F last night (in a 375deg oven). This was after a grill searing at over 600 deg (around 4 minutes a side.
          I only do them around twice a year, just so I remember how to do it.
          Yes to the bloody results, even makes the Mac n cheese better.

  9. This could not possibly have happened. There are laws preventing this. What we need is another law. Let’s penalize and hold responsible the good guys. There fixed. That will prevent further transgressions against society.
    A politician with a law never stops a bad guy with a gun.
    He only controls the good guys, which is his true agenda.

  10. Same thing is happening on the west coast also, politicians are sympathizing with the criminals & telling the officers to stand down when they try to do their jobs. At the same time their letting felons out of prison early, the politicians are falling all over themselves to try & be more woke than the next lib turd…

  12. “Anti police rhetoric” caused the attack on police? Such a statement after the police are caught on video beating the shooter after he surrenders.

    During the protest, a few days ago, the police were arresting people for wearing masks.

    The protest was for free public transport and decreasing the police on public transport. The protesters were saying the police are arresting and harassing poor people to make sure they have enough money for the government.

    After the protest the police increased their efforts. Maybe that’s why the police think the protest sparked the shooting?

    It’s surprising that there isn’t more shootings of police in NY. In Virginia the idea of gun control was enough to make thousands show up with guns and rattle.

    • The cops in the video beat the snot out of the guy, after he slid his weapon across the floor and laid down to surrender. Some applauded the cops for this… for breaking the law themselves, and acting like rival gang members after catching a drive by shooter.

      But those same people call cops who confiscate guns in red flag raids nazi jackboot thugs.

      Well, which is it? The law applies to all, or to none.

      • Look at the shooter’s skin and hair. It’s okay for the police to beat him. Heck, they should have just executed him right there.

        Republicans are becoming the new Democrats. The Democrats are now Democrat Socialists or Social Democrats.

      • Tom, you are an idiot. They just bum rushed a guy who had previously shot 2 officers. How do you know that he didn’t have a second gun or a suicide vest? If they give murderous gunmen a few licks while taking them into custody, I think it is justifiable, given that they could have just shot him outright and been justified.

        Bleeding hearts like you only pretend to support the second amendment, but when the rubber meets the road, you are just a pious Democrat. You are the definition of a fool.

        • The military doesn’t allow for such conduct. Doesn’t matter if the prisoner killed your sergeant with an IED.

        • I am more conservative than you will ever be.

          The law has to be consistently applied to all. They weren’t checking him for an s vest or worried about hidden weapons. They were all getting in pot shots. You can see that clearly in the video.

          Yes, they could have just shot him if they felt he was still a danger. That would have been justified. But they weren’t considering him a danger. They were acting as lawlessly as a rival gang.

          The same people that defend the cops beating him also call cops jackboot thugs for carrying out red flag orders. Can’t have it both ways.

        • It goes both ways with the police. Conflicting orders to enforce pain compliance, hitting in places that are painful but won’t leave a mark, use of Taser for vindictiveness, plain old “throw him down the stairs – oh, he tripped”, to shutting down the elevator on the way to lockup and beating him senseless(tuneup). Other officers make sure of compliance and then treat the suspect properly(which is their job).
          LEOs have to walk a tightrope – no way would I want that job for myself or anyone I know. We taxpayers pay top dollar for quality police work and still end up paying huge money out for police brutality claims. We need to outlaw police unions and get rid of “bad cops” so that the newbies coming in have a chance.

    • “The protesters were saying the police are arresting and harassing poor people to make sure they have enough money for the government.”

      Hmmmm… explain to me how staffing public transportation with police and their arrest of vagrants that panhandle and threaten travelers ensures that”they have enough money for the government.”

      You sound like a member of ANTIFA; uneducated, unintelligent, and so biased that you can’t objectify seems racist to you.

    • You are a geek that got the shit beat out of you on a daily basis. Probably the band field commander.

    • “White people without a college degree ages 18 to 64 are the largest class of adults lifted out of poverty by such programs, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The think tank’s 2017 report stated that 6.2 million working-age whites were lifted above the poverty line in 2014 compared to 2.8 million blacks and 2.4 million Hispanics.”

      In these parts, the ‘welfare Cadillacs’ are all driven by white folk.

  13. When AOC becomes Mayor of NYC the police will be disarmed, and therefore much safer as they will no longer be targets.

    Basic economic theory. Read some Milton Keynes.

  14. Shea called the gunman a “coward”
    ———————————————————-

    No, that’s completely wrong. There is no way that a man who has the balls to deliberately murder or attempt to murder police officers in their own place is a coward. There’s all sorts of other things he deserves to be called and all of them bad, but not a coward. What he did took either a great deal of bravery, or insanity, or stupidity, but cowardice was not in that equation.

    A coward would have tried this from a distance, intending to avoid all danger. So, he’s a murderous thug who decided to kill some police officers. up close and personal

    Yeah and what about all those cops in the police house? How in the hell is it possible for a bad guy to walk in, shoot up the place and survive the attempt?

    At least the video appears to show one of the cops landing some punches on the thug as he lays there all nice and compliant like.

    Now we need to hear how many shots were fired back at the guy, and what those bullets hit?

    Because they sure as hell weren’t hitting the thug.

    • Idk the sneak attacks are pretty cowardly. Shooting at unarmed civilian employees is pretty cowardly and surrendering is pretty cowardly too. I guess his balls are gigantic though so he has that going for him.

    • If he has such balls of steel, then why did he suddenly drop to the floor and toss his gun as soon as his adversaries had time to respond to his sneak attack?

      • Even if he ran out of bullets he still should have squared up and fought them all hand to hand like a real man.

  15. Drag that lump of shit out into the street an execute him. Let the rats feed on his urine soaked corpse.

      • Taurus 4 Life says:
        February 9, 2020 at 13:42
        (1) Man you suck. Fuck off coward.
        (2) Man bruh you’re so incoherent and unstable the Red Flag affidavit pretty much fills out itself
        (3) You’re such a god damn coward. You make James Campbell and Madmaxx look tough. Fuck off douche.
        (4) Whereas you prefer slow suicide by trans fats
        That is YOUR childish contribution, good job.. I know “NUHHUHHH YOU ARE” By the way death by trans fats beats hell out of death by stupid…

  19. “that ignited outrage from officials who blamed the violence on an atmosphere of anti-police rhetoric.”

    These special snowflakes need to read up on “blowback” and understand that they are reaping the whirlwind they have sown. Cops are at war with the American people. Their anti citizen rhetoric is much worse than anything said against government employed thugs with badges.

    It is well past time to disarm the police. They carry weapons on duty at our pleasure. They work for us, we do not exist to obey them.

  23. It’s a but early to talk about this being due to the anti-police sentiments in the media and politics, although it certainly could be.

    “Shea called the gunman a “coward” and said he had a lengthy criminal history…”
    -Guy walked into a police station and started shooting. He’s a violent criminal but I’m not sure I would call it cowardly. Maybe the first shooting but even then, shooting at people you know are armed is a lot less cowardly than most murder attempts.

    Kind of bizarre that the guy managed to survive not one but two attempts at killing multiple cops but I guess NYPD does have some reputations for accuracy that might explain it…

  24. Apparently this is the price you pay when you buy into an America-hating socialist mayor’s vision to Make New York Great Again.

    #MaNYGA

  25. Guys a plant. Non critical hits, lay down and surrenders. Ol’ Mike Bloomingwart probably financed this to help send his message to end gun violence /s

  29. The police created the anti-police environment by either actively lying, cheating, stealing, beating, shooting, raping, and otherwise abusing the citizenry or by passively condoning such abuses. Bunch of whiny bullies.

    • Another one!

      OK, let’s hear it. What was it in your case? DWI? DV Assault? Drug bust? Child molestation? Kiddie Porn? Did you resist arrest? Were you absolutely stunning in your booking photo? Did you get a cameo, or a walk-on, on ‘Cops’?

      Don’t be shy. Show us all on the dolly where the Bad Policeman touched you.

      • Did you hear New Mexico is close to passing a red flag law? I wonder who is going to enforce those confiscations.

        Arizona and New Mexico are getting real close to falling over. Utah appears to be strong.

        Before Trump’s term is over it appears America will have 20 states with gun confiscation powers (without due process) for police to use. Under Obama I think there was only 5 states with such powers. Once Trump called for “take the guns first” these confiscation powers for police tripled within 2 years. It took many years to get those few states to pass confiscation laws. I believe Indiana was the first to do it…

        New York cops want to be able to use social media posts to deny the keeping and bearing of arms from citizens whom speak negatively of government. They want the guns off the street so they can be safe from anti government types.

      • They handcuffed a 17-year-old friend of mine to a bumper and beat him unconscious. for shoplifting a six-pack of beer. Just because YOU identify as a bootlicker doesn’t mean everyone has to, you know.

  30. He’s just a misunderstood culinary artist. Could find the Thousand Island, so no Bronx Bomber. Had to make do with a Bronx Shooter.

    • It’s the prison of two thoughts that the far left experiences when they are losing, next level TDS stuff.
      Defining entire groups of Americians as good or bad is their norm.
      The far left is ALWAYS willing to destroy the good in a quest for perfection, which is not possibly.
      When the left falls short, they say it’s a chance to learn, evolve, improve, and grow. When the right falls short, they say it’s because everyone on the right is deplorable, and evil to the core.
      The TDS is usually turned up to 10 on TTAG.

      • “Defining entire groups of Americians as good or bad is their norm,” said the man with no sense of irony whatsoever and a truly Trumpian inability to spell “Americans.”

        • Checking grammar and spelling when you disagree with a statement but can’t argue your opinion/view.
          The CLASSIC trolling 101 move of “pivoting”.
          I was actually typing that comment while talking on the phone asshat.

  32. I bet if there weren’t a lot of intrusive nanny laws being used as revenue generators and prison stuffers, there’d be a lot less backlash at state actors for being the Iron Heel of government. They rebel in states that think the government can solve problems. You don’t hear about anti-state rage in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and other places that prefer to leave their citizens alone.

  33. Can’t believe DeBlasio has the nerve to stand up there and act outraged when one of his policies was exactly why this guy was on the streets.

  34. This sociopathic shooter is precisely the type of violent criminal to whom Antifa activists would like to give free reign on the NYC public transit system. They do not want “racist” police or an armed citizen (like Bernard Goetz) interfering.

  35. This is what a 4th gen civil war looks like. Admittedly this is low grade and low skill but this is the model.
    Expect to see more of this, gaining in intensity and sophistication.

  36. N.Y.C., once my home town is truly wonderful place, where only the law abiding are forbidden possession of arms.

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