A Queens man was handed down a lengthy prison sentence yesterday for the 2023 shooting of an NYPD officer, according to court reports. On a spring day last year, Devin Spraggins, then 24, engaged in a violent encounter that left Officer Brett Boller gravely wounded in Jamaica, Queens. In a courtroom filled with dozens of officers, the court sentenced Spraggins to 39 years to life, following a conviction by a jury last month.
The incident unfolded on April 5, 2023, when Officers Boller and his partner responded to an altercation over a seat on an MTA bus. As reported by FOX 5 New York, a brief struggle ensued after Spraggins pushed past the officers and led them on a chase. During the confrontation, Spraggins discharged an illegal firearm, shooting Boller in the hip and narrowly avoiding a "cold-blooded execution" when his gun malfunctioned as he aimed for the downed officer, according to ABC 7 New York.
Officer Boller, who was 22 at the time of the shooting and had joined the NYPD in July 2022, underwent extensive surgeries and physical therapy over the past year. The recovery process was outlined by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz who said, "All of this started because of a seat on a bus. A police officer has spent over a year with surgeries and physical therapy recovering from getting shot, and only by a twist of fate was not killed," in a statement obtained by FOX 5 New York.
Following the sentencing, the NYPD recovered a 9mm handgun that has been under forensic investigation for evidence. NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig reported during a news conference in April 2023 that Spraggins faced charges including attempted murder of a police officer, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, and obstructing governmental administration. The weapon's discovery and its linkage to Spraggins played a significant part in the prosecutor's case. Spraggins will now face the resulting consequence for his attempt to take the life of a officer dedicated to serving and protecting the New York community.
