A person of interest wanted in Saturday night's botched car robbery that left an off-duty NYPD officer in grave condition, fighting for his life, is in police custody, multiple law enforcement sources told News 4.
The development came Monday, two days after the 26-year-old officer was shot in the head when gunfire erupted behind a McDonald's off Ruby Street in East New York. NYPD officials said he and his brother-in-law had gone there to buy a car after making a deal on Facebook Marketplace. The purported seller drew guns and demanded money, then shot the cop.
The officer's name hasn't been released.
After the cop went down, sources said the officer's brother-in-law removed a firearm from his holster and returned fire. The suspect ran to an awaiting black SUV and rode off. That getaway car was later found in Manhattan, sources said.
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The person of interest, a 38-year-old man, was tracked down to a hotel in Rockland County and taken into police custody Monday afternoon, according to sources with direct knowledge of the investigation. A law enforcement source familiar with the incident said he was with his wife and kids at the time of his arrest. New video from the Days Inn in Nanuet showed an SUV that may have belonged to him being towed away.
NBC New York obtained photos of the man being restrained in handcuffs outside the hotel room officers found him in. Sources said officers were waiting for a warrant to search the hotel room.
Investigators are also looking into whether Saturday's case may be part of a pattern.
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Mayor Eric Adams said the officer, a five-year veteran assigned to patrol, is married with two children.
"Too many illegal guns are in the hands of bad people and doing bad things," the mayor said. "I spoke with the officer's wife, saw his beautiful children. We're all lifting his family up in prayer. We will catch the person responsible for this."
It was the second shooting of an NYPD officer in less than three weeks, following a Jan. 17 incident in the Bronx. The cop in that case, who was on patrol at the time, was shot in the arm - allegedly by a 16-year-old gunman.
