What to Know
- An off-duty cop who works in Queens shot and wounded a man who he says tried to rob him in Brooklyn, authorities say
- The man is in stable condition at an area hospital after the cop fired two rounds, one of them striking the would-be robber in the mouth
- Officials say there may have been a dispute between the two prior to the shooting and are investigating if they knew each other
Law enforcement officials said during a Thursday press conference that there are still unanswered questions regarding the case of an off-duty NYPD sergeant who shot a man Thursday morning.
The NYPD sergeant on his way to work shot a 21-year-old man who he later told police walked up to him in Brooklyn and said something like, "You're gonna die tonight," before pretending he had a gun and trying to rob him, authorities and sources familiar with the investigation tell News 4.
The 40-year-old sergeant, who works in Queens, told police he was was walking toward his car, west on East New York's Livonia Avenue, around 5 a.m. Thursday when the man approached him. The officer was wearing plainclothes at the time.
The sergeant told police he said "don't rob me" and offered the man his cellphone instead. Then he pulled out the gun and fired twice, striking the man in the chin, authorities said.
Law enforcement officials say they are investigating whether the men had a dispute prior to the shooting, although the investigation is ongoing to determine if the men knew each other. The nature of the dispute has not been revealed.
According to police, the officer said the man threatened him and acted as though he had a gun, though he never showed a weapon.
In a Thursday afternoon press conference related to crime statistics, officials said a firearm was not recovered at the scene of the incident.
Local
The man, who was shot twice, including once in the face, is hospitalized in stable condition. The sergeant wasn't hurt, but was placed on modified duty, according to NYPD Chief Terrence Monahan.
"There are certain things that we saw during this investigation that we have questions that are unanswered at this point. Until we answer them, we felt it was best to place him on modified duty," Monahan said.
Chopper 4 was first over the scene and showed police activity underneath the train tracks.
The investigation is ongoing.
--Jonathan Dienst contributed to this report.
