Joshua Dorsett was sentenced to 20 years in prison this week for shooting NYPD Lt. Carl Johnson and Sgt. Christopher Leap with a single bullet during a struggle on the Lower East Side, closing out a case that began with an August 2024 armed robbery inside a Canal Street mahjong parlor. Dorsett pleaded guilty in Manhattan Supreme Court on August 10, 2026, admitting to aggravated assault on a police officer involving a deadly weapon and robbery charges tied to the shooting.
According to the New York Post, Dorsett robbed the mahjong parlor on August 1, 2024, holding a group of roughly 20 people at gunpoint before fleeing. Johnson and Leap responded to a call about a suspect who had stormed into the parlor, and the two officers tried to restrain Dorsett on Eldridge Street near Delancey Street, where he fired a .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, according to the New York Post. The single round struck both men, hitting Johnson in the groin and Leap in the leg.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at the time that Dorsett had armed himself with a handgun, entered the second-floor parlor at 91 Canal Street, and targeted the location because of active gambling there, as reported by FOX 5 New York. Dorsett fled on foot toward Delancey Street before officers intercepted him. Police identified Dorsett as a member of the Manhattan-based Up the Hill gang, and the station's report noted he was on probation following a 2022 conviction for criminal possession of a controlled substance, having met with his probation officer that same morning.
How the Chase Unfolded on Eldridge Street
Sergeants Johnson and Leap were nearby investigating an illegal smoke shop when they heard screams from the robbery victims and launched a foot chase, according to CBS News. Surveillance video showed the officers pinning Dorsett against a parked car before gunfire erupted. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Dorsett had attempted to buy a change of clothes at a local store immediately after fleeing the parlor in an effort to alter his appearance, a bid that Newsday reported he was unable to complete before officers caught up with him.
Investigators determined the single .45-caliber round fired through Dorsett's pants pocket during the grapple struck both officers — hitting Johnson in the groin and upper thigh and grazing Leap in the leg, per Newsday. Leap was discharged from Bellevue Hospital the same day as the shooting, while Johnson spent three days in the hospital. At the time, Johnson was a 16-year NYPD veteran and Leap had served 11 years on the force.
Officer's Statement Confronts Shooter at Sentencing
In a victim impact statement read aloud in Manhattan by John Johnsen, Johnson wrote that there was no need to fire the gun for a false sense of entitlement and power, per the Post's account of the sentencing. Johnson said the shooting reaffirmed his oath to keep New York City safe, writing that every step he takes and every time he lifts his child reminds him of the sacrifices he makes protecting the city. He added that he hoped Dorsett would make a positive impact on the community after his release.
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Matthew Sears called the case an extraordinary example of strength and diligence. Dorsett declined to comment at sentencing, while his attorney, Dean Vigliano, said the defense plans to appeal the sentence.
Union Leader Credits Officers' Bravery
Vincent Vallelong, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association, thanked prosecutors and Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Laura Ward, who presided over both Dorsett's 2024 arraignment and his 2026 sentencing. Vallelong said Sergeants Leap and Johnson pursued the suspect and were shot while apprehending him, adding that the city is safer because of the officers' bravery. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch hailed Johnson and Leap as the very best, according to the Post.
Johnson and Leap were both promoted to special assignment sergeants in 2025. Upon his discharge from Bellevue Hospital on August 4, 2024, Johnson was greeted by an honor guard of fellow officers applauding as he left on crutches, a scene detailed by Straus News, while Leap received a similar sendoff hours after the shooting. Following the 2024 shooting, Mayor Eric Adams cited municipal efforts that had removed more than 17,000 illegal firearms from city streets while addressing gun violence aimed at law enforcement.
Dorsett was originally indicted on two counts of attempted murder of a police officer along with robbery and assault charges following his September 2024 arraignment, when he pleaded not guilty and was remanded without bail to Rikers Island. Under New York Penal Law § 120.11, aggravated assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon is classified as a Class B violent felony carrying a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 25 years in state prison — a range that frames the 20-year term Dorsett ultimately received after his guilty plea.
