Authorities have a person of interest in custody in connection with the brazen shooting of an off-duty New York City police officer who was fighting for his life at a hospital.
The 26-year-old officer, who has not been identified, is a five-year veteran of the NYPD, as well as a father of two young children and a husband. He was shot in the head Saturday night during an attempted armed robbery, authorities said.
A law enforcement source told Fox News that the officer is “brain dead.”
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Mayor Eric Adams addresses reporters after the shooting of an off-duty police officer on February 4. A person of interest was in police custody Monday in connection with the shooting. (NYPD)
The shooting happened around 7 p.m. Saturday on Ruby Street, near Linden Boulevard, authorities said.
“It hurts a lot,” Mayor Eric Adams told the group of reporters Saturday night, saying the officer is a five-year veteran of the NYPD who was off-duty at the time of the incident. “And it doesn’t dissipate over time.”
NYPD Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said the shooting occurred when the officer was running “a simple errand” to buy a used vehicle when a “dangerous person pulled out a firearm” and tried to steal the officer There was an exchange of fire, he said.
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The officer coordinated the meeting through social media and came with a relative, he said.
Lawrence Richard of Fox News contributed to this report.
