A 50-year-old man was critically injured in a police shooting in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn late Friday night. According to ABC 7 New York, the incident occurred around 9:45 p.m. after officers responded to reports of shots fired near East 80th Street and Flatlands Avenue. Police Chief of Patrol Philip Rivera stated that officers saw the man exiting a convenience store before he detected their presence and began to flee.
Authorities report that after a foot chase ensued, the suspect attempted to use a tree for cover and pointed a gun at a police sergeant. "The officers verbally identified themselves and gave the male numerous verbal commands to which he did not comply," Rivera said in a press conference, as noted by ABC 7 New York. A fire exchange followed, resulting in the man being hit in the stomach. He was subsequently transported to nearby Brookdale Hospital for treatment.
Further details were provided by The New York Post, which also confirmed that the officers involved were taken to an area hospital for evaluation. The confrontation was captured on both police bodycam and the convenience store's security camera and remains under investigation.
In the wake of the event, two firearms were recovered: one at the scene and another ghost gun discovered inside the convenience store. "Once again, our officers confronted a dangerous individual armed with a firearm and reacted without hesitation," Rivera said. "Due to their action further violence was prevented," he added, as per The New York Post.
