What to Know
- A female police officer was shot in the jaw in a firefight on a residential Yonkers street Monday night, officials say
- The officer was taken to the hospital in serious but stable condition; one of two suspects was also injured, authorities say
- The officer and her partner were answering a call about a suspicious vehicle at Rumsey Road and Park Hill Avenue, police say
A Yonkers police officer was shot in the jaw in a firefight on a residential street Monday night, officials said.
The officer was taken to the hospital in serious but stable condition after a shootout with a pair of suspects in a car about 8:30 p.m., according to Yonkers Police Commissioner Charles Gardner. One of the two suspects was also injured.
"It could have been much worse, thank God the officer didn't sustain life-threatening injuries," Gardner said. "She's lucky to be alive."
Gardner said the officer and her partner were answering a call about a suspicious vehicle at Marshall Road and Ridge Drive. When they approached a small sedan near the intersection, the people inside allegedly opened fire. Police have not released the injured officer's name.
The officers ran for cover and returned fire. Gardner said the two groups fired multiple rounds before backup arrived; residents in the area told News 4 that they heard at least 30 shots fired.
"We were just doing homework with my son then all the sudden we just heard bang, bang, bang,â Carmen Feliciano of Yonkers said. "It just seemed like a semi-automatic that just kept going off."
One suspect was taken into custody; the other was taken to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx and was in surgery Monday night. He is listed in serious but stable condition, police said.
Gardner said the officer who was hit was talking when first-responders arrived and is also being treated at Jacobi Medical Center. Her partner, meanwhile, was uninjured.
Police are not sure why the suspects or in the neighborhood or why they opened fire on the officers.
Local
Gardner said officers were going to re-construct the shooting scene and are searching the vehicle and surrounding area. One handgun had been recovered Monday night.
Authorities are investigating and no other suspects are being sought, according to police.