A masked gunman was killed early Monday in a fierce gunfight involving a total of seven police officers in Brooklyn, New York, police said.
The incident occurred at around 2:36 a.m., after three uniformed NYPD officers attempted to talk to a “suspicious male” wearing a mask near Howard and Dumont avenues, Police Chief Terence Monahan said at a news briefing on Monday morning.
Tonight, at the scene of a dangerous police-involved shooting in #Brooklyn, I observed the great work of NYPD cops, who never hesitated to go in harm’s way to keep NYC safe from those willing to cause violence.
I provided an update from the @NYPD73Pct. pic.twitter.com/Y6b2NWc5Si
— Chief Terence Monahan (@NYPDChiefofDept) September 2, 2019
“When the officers who were inside their patrol car attempted to speak to the man, he immediately fled,” Monahan said at the press conference.
“One officer exited the vehicle and the other two drove onto Howard Avenue,” he said. “The perpetrator fired numerous rounds at their vehicle, striking it. The officer who exited the car then exchanged gunfire with the male. However, the perpetrator fled from the officers.”
A call from a resident about 30 minutes later said a male was seen trying to break into a backyard, also on Howard Avenue.
The pursuing officers, after entering the yard, found themselves pinned down by the suspect, Monahan said.
Additional officers, including the Emergency Service Unit, were called in for support and made entry into the backyard area, where the man continued shooting. Monahan said seven police officers fired their weapons—one on Howard Avenue and the other six in the backyard.
“Our officers returned fire and the man was then taken into custody,” said the chief, adding that no officer was injured during the apprehension.
A semi-automatic handgun was recovered at the scene of the police-involved shooting in #Brooklyn. Also pictured is the bullet hole in the NYPD patrol car caused by the perpetrator’s gunfire. pic.twitter.com/wiTUrU3OOO
— Chief Terence Monahan (@NYPDChiefofDept) September 2, 2019
The suspect, whose name has not yet been released, was taken to Brookdale University Hospital, where he was declared dead. A semi-automatic handgun was recovered at the scene.
“There were a lot of rounds fired. Approximately nine rounds were fired by our officers on Howard Avenue. It’s still an approximation, but in the backyard it looks like we fired 55 rounds,” Monahan said, noting that the investigators are still counting the gunman’s shell casings.
An investigation is ongoing, the chief said.
