Watch CBS News

NYPD Sgt. Brennan Speaks Of Making An Arrest Following His Recovery From Gunshot

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A hero cop, who survived being shot in the head last year, is once again busting the bad guys. Incredibly, he had to disarm a suspect in the same place where he had been gunned down.

"I'm a very lucky guy," Sgt. Kevin Brennan said.

Indeed, Brennan is lucky. He survived a gunshot wound to the head last year, and made a miracle recovery despite injuries to his spinal cord and damage to his vision, CBS 2's Dick Brennan reported Thursday.

"I was shot in the right side of the brain, which is occipital lobe, which controls vision," Brennan said.

Brennan now has a desk job in the Intelligence Division, but on Tuesday returned to the Bushwick Houses where he'd been shot, to prepare the coming trial of the man accused of shooting him, Luis Ortiz.

It was there, Brennan's old partner, Michael Burbridge, recognized two men wanted for a home invasion.

"It was like old times, me and him working together again," Brennan said.

When Brennan cornered one suspect, he managed to grab the gun that was in his waistband.

"I was happy to get it away from him and get the gun off the street. He's going away for robbery now, and a gun charge. He's not gonna hurt anyone in Bushwick for a long time," Brennan said.

After being shot and released from the hospital last year, Brennan made a deal with his wife, Janet: no more "cops and robbers" for him on the streets. He would take a desk job.

So what did she think of this?

"She wasn't happy but she understood at the end of the day I still have to do my job, if I see something, so she was okay with it," Brennan said.

Brennan said he's a man of action, but he can get used to the desk job if it means seeing more of his daughter Maeve, who was only 5 weeks old when he was shot. Now she's a toddler, and can see her daddy more.

"I'm bored sometimes; I'm not used to sitting behind the desk. I'm not that type of guy. But I get to be home more with them, and that's the name of the game. That's what matters now," Brennan said.

Brennan has had a sometimes slow recovery. He said he still has damage in his left eye, but he can still drive and has about 80-90 percent of his vision back.

You May Also Be Interested In These Stories

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.