On Thursday evening, two NYPD police officers were shot and wounded inside a stairwell at 320 East 156th Street within the Melrose Housing Development in the South Bronx. Three officers were conducting a vertical patrol in the sixth floor stairwell area when they encountered two individuals, one of whom produced a firearm and shot at the the officers.
The suspect then fled into an apartment on the seventh floor. Responding officers gained access to the apartment where they discovered several individuals as well as the suspect who was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. A semiautomatic firearm and a shotgun were recovered inside the apartment.
The second individual who the officers encountered in the stairwell is also in custody. The two injured officers, one male and the other female – were taken to Lincoln Hospital. Their identities were being withheld pending notification of their family members. The officers are both assigned to the Impact Response Team at Housing Bureau PSA 7. They both have two years on the force.
Mayor Bill de Blasio rushed from Lehman College where he delivered his State of the City message to meet with the family of the injured police officers. “It’s another example of what our officers confront every single day, keeping us safe not only on the streets of New York City, but in the stairwells and the hallways of our public housing developments,” said Mayor de Blasio.
The name of the deceased suspect is being withheld pending family notification. The second individual who the officers encountered as well as several other individuals have been taken to the 40th precinct for questioning.
Mayor de Blasio, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, City Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson, Assemblyman Michael Blake and Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark appeared at a press conference at Lincoln Hospital.
Councilwoman Vanessa L. Gibson issued a statement: “Tonight, I join with all New Yorkers in expressing profound relief that the two PSA 7 officers wounded in the line of duty while on patrol at Melrose Houses in the Bronx are expected to survive their injuries. I remain thankful to the men and women of the NYPD, who daily put their lives on the line to protect the public’s safety. As the details of tonight’s events unfold, it is my hope that we continue to address the abundance of illegal guns in our community and the public safety issues at NYCHA housing. My thoughts and prayers remain with these two officers, their loved ones, and their PSA 7 and NYPD family.” Gibson also chairs the City Council’s Public Safety Committee.
In a statement local Assemblyman Michael Blake said, “We are reminded that we need greater community and police relations, to get rid of these guns from our communities, provide economic opportunities so Bronxites don’t go down the wrong path and ensure that violence is reduced while trust is gained. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide more updates to our constituents.”
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