NYPD cops exchange gunfire with man who threatened NYC mayor and N.Y. governor
Thomas Tracy, Shant Shahrigian, New York Daily News
Sat, July 9, 2022 at 7:42 PM·2 min read
Luiz C. Ribeiro/New York Daily News/TNS
A quiet Queens street exploded in gun violence on Saturday night, after a man who had threatened top New York officials opened fire on NYPD officers, according to police sources.
Prior to the 6:08 p.m. shooting on 116th Ave. near Francis Lewis Blvd. in St. Albans, the shooter threatened Mayor Adams, Gov. Hochul and NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell — adding that he would open fire on responding officers — cop sources said.
At the scene, the man shot at officers who came from the 113th Precinct to question him, the sources said.
A neighborhood woman said she witnessed a man running away from a group of about five police officers while firing at them.
“The cops were shooting and he was shooting. They were all shooting at each other,” said the witness, who gave her name as Michelle, 35.
She estimated hearing about 25 to 30 gunshots before the man collapsed in a bush.
“He got hit so many times, he had no choice but to fall,” said Michelle. “Thank God there were no kids out here cause there’s usually a lot of kids out here playing.”
The NYPD initiated a Level 1 mobilization sending all cops in the area to the scene, according to police sources. Cop cars had filled 116th Ave. by night fall.
After being taken into in police custody, the man was sent to Jamaica Hospital, according to the Fire Department.
At least one officer went to a hospital for observation and ringing in the ears following the shooting, according to police.
The violence stunned neighbors including, a woman who gave her name as Diane, 32. She said she heard the gunshots from down the street.
“I thought it was firecrackers — like, pow, pow, pow, pow!” Diane said. “Then I heard the helicopters maybe five, 10 minutes after.
“That just scares me — so close to home,” she added. “I could’ve been right in the mix. That just scares me.”