A 33-year-old off-duty NYPD officer accidentally shot himself in the leg inside a home in Kingsbridge Heights just after 2 p.m. Thursday, according to police sources. Paramedics rushed him from the residence near Bailey Avenue and Van Cortlandt Avenue West to an ambulance before he was taken to the hospital.
The officer was transported to Jacobi Hospital, according to News 12 New York, and the officer's brother, Johnathan, said he is expected to recover. The exact circumstances of the accidental discharge were not immediately known, and it remains unclear whether a mechanical malfunction, a holster mishap, or a handling error was to blame.
A North Bronx Neighborhood Under the 52nd Precinct's Watch
Bailey Avenue is within the patrol boundaries of the NYPD's 50th Precinct. The 52nd Precinct, headquartered at 3016 Webster Avenue, covers Kingsbridge Heights along with Bedford Park, Norwood, and Fordham, according to the NYPD. The command has drawn scrutiny in recent coverage: crime data from late 2025 showed major reported crime in the precinct rose 6.42% year-over-year to 2,802 incidents, even as homicides in the command fell by half compared to prior years, per the Norwood News. NYC records place Kingsbridge Heights within Bronx Community Board 8, which also includes Fieldston and Kingsbridge. A city environmental review describes the Kingsbridge Heights area around West Kingsbridge Road as largely residential, with a mix of two- and three-story attached buildings.
Whenever an officer's weapon fires under any circumstances, including an accidental or self-inflicted discharge, the NYPD's Force Investigation Division and Internal Affairs Bureau automatically open a dedicated review to examine weapon handling, holster mechanics, and safety compliance. Uniformed officers are permitted to carry approved handguns off duty under NYPD Patrol Guide procedures, but they must maintain strict weapon control at all times and immediately report any discharge to precinct supervisors.
Why Jacobi Was the Destination
NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi in Morris Park serves as the North Bronx's designated Level 1 Adult Trauma Center, equipped with specialized trauma resuscitation suites and handling more than 100,000 emergency department visits a year, which explains why emergency crews brought the wounded officer there rather than a closer facility.
Not the First Off-Duty Discharge for the Department
Off-duty firearm mishaps involving NYPD officers have surfaced periodically in recent years. In May, a high-ranking NYPD assistant chief was placed on modified duty and surrendered his gun and shield after his off-duty weapon discharged during a physical fight in a Rockland County parking lot. In September 2023, an off-duty officer accidentally shot himself in the leg during a struggle over his personal firearm amid a road-rage altercation in Maspeth, Queens. Other off-duty firearm incidents have surfaced periodically.
Off-duty unintentional discharges are discussed alongside broader NYPD firearm incidents. Broader injury statistics also addressed NYPD officers hurt in the line of duty during the first nine months of 2024. According to NYPD data tables on NYC.gov, the department has published raw firearms-discharge and use-of-force data covering 2011-2015. The NYPD's 2018 Use of Force Report said firearms discharges had declined 32.7% from the previous year, reaching the department's lowest recorded number at that time.
It remains unclear whether the Kingsbridge Heights officer will face any administrative duty modification once the Force Investigation Division and Internal Affairs Bureau complete their review. The department has not released further details on the officer's identity or condition. His family said he is expected to recover.
