Transcript: Mayor Adams and NYPD Commissioner Sewell Visit NYPD Officer who was Shot and Brief Media

April 5, 2023

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell: Thank you for being here. We began our day today by honoring three of our members who performed in a heroic manner, injured in Times Square on New Year's Eve, and now less than 10 hours later, we are back in a hospital with another officer injured. This time shot by another subject armed with a firearm on our streets. This officer, a 22-year-old, who took this job to protect our city, began his assignment at the 103 Precinct, which covers Jamaica, Queens three months ago today. He was where our communities tell us they want their officers to be, standing a foot post. He was flagged down by a community member who needed help. He was taking police action. Then he was shot. Before I turn it over to Chief of Detectives James Essig, he's going to brief you on the incident and the investigation so far. I want to thank the staff here at Jamaica Hospital, Dr. Katherine McKenzie and the team here for their excellent care of our officers.

I also want to thank the officer's partner. He too has less than a year with his department. He did not take a moment to take action in this case. He did not hesitate to come to the aid of his fellow officer. I also want to thank the members of the 103 Precinct for continuing to work hard to keep our community safe. The mayor and I, as well as our fellow New Yorkers, are with the 103 and our officers tonight. New Yorkers, you are our force multiplier. We are going to need your assistance in identifying and apprehending this offender. He should be considered armed and dangerous. Here is his picture. Please look at it. I'm going to turn it over now to Mayor Adams.

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you, commissioner. And the commissioner laid out at the beginning of the day, we honored those officers who were attacked on New Year's Eve. Now, at this part of the day, we're here in the hospital speaking to the heroes who performed well. But we also did something in the middle of the day. In the middle of the day, we signed a contract. We signed a contract that signified how much respect we have for the men and women who protect the city. And during that contract sign in, I stated that our officers run towards gunshots when others run away. That is what happened today.

And I also spoke with the parents. One of them is a member of the department. The other, the mom, whispered in my ear. She stated, "I recalled at the graduation ceremony how you talked about your mother exhaled for the first time after you retired." She's still holding her breath. Her child was on our street to protect the children of our cities and their families. We cannot thank them enough. And that question mark that some people have when you talk about ensuring we provide for our offices, today that gunshot straightened it to an exclamation point. This is why they place their lives on the line for us. Chief Essig.

James Essig, Chief of Detectives, Police Department: Thank you. I'd like to update you on the investigation. At approximately 3:20 PM at 161st Street in Jamaica Avenue, an MTA bus driver traveling eastbound on Jamaica Avenue flagged down two police officers assigned to the 103rd Field Training Unit. The bus driver informed the officers that a male was disputing with another passenger over a seat. When the officers approached the bus, the male exited through the front door. A slight struggle ensued. That male wearing a black bubble jacket, black mask, an orange sweatshirt, pushed the officers and fled northbound on 161st Street.

In front of 90-23 161st Street, one of the police officers caught up with the perpetrator. A brief struggle occurred. The perpetrator fired one shot striking our officer in the right hip. The second police officer returned fire two times. Recovered at that scene is two discharged shell casings consistent with the Police Department ammo and one shell casing of yet undetermined caliber. The perp flees northbound on 161st Street and westbound on 88th Avenue into a parking garage. Recovered in that parking garage is the black bubble jacket, the mask and the orange sweatshirt. Video shows that male exiting the garage. He is in a white T-shirt and black pants shown here. He is last seen at 161st Street and Hillside Avenue. We are asking for anyone's help. Anyone who is on that bus, anyone who knows this perpetrator to call 1-800-COP-SHOT. There is a $10,000 reward for any information. With that we'll take questions.

Question: Is the officer awake? Is he in surgery? [Inaudible.]

Police Commissioner Sewell: The doctor. You want to give an update for us? Or I can just tell you. You can come.

Dr. Katherine McKenzie: He's currently in the operating room.

Police Commissioner Sewell: We'll have a couple words from Patty Lynch from the PBA.

Patrick Lynch, President, Police Benevolent Association: Earlier today, Mayor Adams and the police commissioner, we were together and we were talking about the environment police officers work in. But we're also concerned with the environment in which our public lives. What we saw today was a perp pushing his way off a bus, knocking a police officer, shooting a police officer. And unfortunately, we've unfortunately started getting used to that. But what we also saw when we review the videos is that while he was running from a police officer and shooting at police officers, there were children along that shopping corridor. There were people that were just going about their life going into the shop to do what they need to do for their family. They had no regard for those people.

But the folks in the neighborhood did have regard for us because those same people that were going off in that shopping corridor to enjoy their day, what did they do? They stopped to assist a police officer in trouble. That's what we do. That's what the public helps us do. Now what we need is those that represent this area, those in the city council, those up north in Albany to start helping us do our job. We've said it before. You've heard me say it. If this doesn't tell you that something has to change, I don't know what will.

Question: This happened over a seat, a bus seat, that an officer got shot just for an argument. What does this say about the guns in New York City? Obviously there's guns everywhere, someone get shot [inaudible.]

Mayor Adams: An over-proliferation of guns and too many people are willing to use it repeatedly. And that is why the extreme recidivists must be identified and removed from our streets. And when you can display a weapon over a dispute on the bus, that says a lot. And that is why we are continuing to remove these guns off our streets.

Question: Commissioner, you said the officer was 22 years old. How long has he been?

Police Commissioner Sewell: He was appointed to the Police Department in July of last year, assigned to this command in January of this year.

Question: Making sure, the suspect was not struck when the officer fired two shots and we heard one person may be in custody [inaudible] one, was somebody taken into custody and then later released?

Chief Essig: We are interviewing witnesses who were brought back to the precinct. We are unknown whether the perpetrator was struck at this time.

Police Commissioner Sewell: Thank you.
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