A police-involved shooting in Queens on Saturday evening left both an armed suspect dead and an officer hospitalized, it was reported.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, a man allegedly fired at cops at around 6:25 p.m. on 205-17 116th Ave. in St. Albans.
Sources said that officers returned fire, killing the suspect with a barrage of bullets. Several officers were taken to a nearby hospital for ringing in the ears and high blood-pressure following the incident.
NYPD brass Chief of Patrol Jeffery Maddrey and Chief of Transit Jason Wilcox spoke from the scene later that night. According to Maddrey, the NYPD received several 911 calls from the suspect who made threats to both elected officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul and law enforcement about 20 minutes prior.
“He clearly stated that he was going to blow the head off of the first police officer he saw,” Maddery said. “The sergeant from the 113th precinct responded with multiple units.”
According to Maddrey, the man immediately become belligerent with responding officers, hurling verbal abuse and refusing to respond to commands before brandishing a handgun and firing shots. Maddery—who stated that he observed numerous bodycam footage—believes at least 6 officers returned fire in a bullet whirlwind, which killed the gunman.
Local residents were shaken by what they cite as a hail of bullets that broke the weekend silence in grim fashion. Yet those present at the incident said that harsh reality of the situation was not immediately apparent.
“It sounded like fireworks,” Jamal Walker, a nearby resident told amNewYork Metro in disbelief.