Two New York Police Department officers were shot in the Bronx in separate incidents, and officials believe it were targeted attempts to assassinate police officers.
The suspect is now in custody after getting caught on Sunday morning, where the gunman opened fire on officers in the NYPD’s 41st Precinct.
The first incident occurred just hours before the shooting at the station, wherein the gunman opened fire on two officers on-duty sitting in a within the vicinity of the 41st precinct.
Both officers are said to be in stable condition and are expected to recover soon.
While it is still unclear, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said that their investigators are confident that the suspect is guilty on both shootings.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio released a statement on Twitter on Sunday morning, relieved that the gunman is now in custody.
“This vicious assassination attempt is the second one we’ve seen in 24 hours — and an attack on our NYPD officers is an attack on ALL New Yorkers,” de Blasio said. “This despicable hatred is an attempt to divide our city and undermine our safety. We cannot and will not let that happen.”
In the first shooting, the suspect came up to the two uniformed officers who were sitting in a NYPD van parked within the Morrisania section of the Bronx at around 10:30 p.m.
As soon as one of the officers answered the suspect’s question, he pulled out a gun and started shooting at them.
The officers did not fire back and they were able to escape the said ordeal, but the officer driving was hit in the neck and chin area.
In the second shooting, the gunman casually walked in to the NYPD’s 41st Precinct station house and started to shoot at the officers, striking one.
Both officer were not identified, but are said to be recovering at the Lincoln Hospital.