An NYPD officer is recovering after being shot in the head on New Year’s Day. After working an 8-hour shift at an NYE event in Central Park, the officer chose to sleep in his vehicle due to a lack of vacant beds in the NYPD dormitories. He was struck by a bullet while parked in a Manhattan police precinct lot soon after completing his shift.
The officer woke up at 6:15 a.m, suffering from a bullet wound to the head. A fellow officer assisted him and he was then transferred to a hospital where the bullet fragments were surgically removed. He did suffer a fractured skull but is currently in stable condition.
NYPD Commissioner, Keechant Sewell, released a statement shortly after, saying, “We are grateful that our officer is recovering, as we know this could have been a very tragic outcome.” The Commissioner also acknowledged the current gun control issue that is currently plaguing cities, adding, “I also truly believe this incident underscores that there are far too many guns out there in the wrong hands and too many people willing to fire those weapons, and that is something we intend to tackle head-on.” The Commissioner also noted that the bullet was fired from a significant distance and the actual target is unknown.
It is unclear who shot the officer, but the department is offering a $10K reward to anyone that has any information on the suspect. The officer is a 7-year veteran with the NYPD and his identity remains unknown at this time.
[Via]