NYPD: Police Shoot Man Who Pulled Gun On Cops, Bit Officer During Traffic Stop
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A man was wounded in a police-involved shooting after pulling a gun on officers and biting one of them during a traffic stop in Queens, authorities said.
It happened around 11 p.m. Wednesday in Queens Village.
Police said it all began when a sergeant and two police officers pulled over a silver Mercedes Benz sedan after seeing the driver "commit a traffic infraction" on Hollis Avenue near 212th Street.
Sources said the 31-year-old driver had apparently been running lights, CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported.
When the officers approached the car, police said the man refused to put the vehicle in park. When the sergeant opened the passenger side door in an effort to talk with the man, police said he sped off with the sergeant still inside the car.
The other two officers who were with the sergeant hopped into an unmarked car and cut off the suspect at 217th street, forcing him to stop, police said.
As the sergeant struggled with the suspect, police said he got out of the car and brandished a gun. That's when the sergeant pulled his weapon, firing at the suspect and striking him once in the right leg, police said.
At some point during the struggle, police said the suspect also bit another officer on his arm.
It all happened near Saints Joachim and Anne Catholic School, where Assistant Principal Henry Schoolfield was on hand to greet students coming in Thursday morning, 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck reported.
"It's sad," he said. "I heard briefly what happened last night. This is the nature of society today."
"Thank God this didn't happen between the hours of 8 and 3," Schoolfield told Burrell. "For this to happen so close to the school and for it to possibly have happened during schools hours is nerve-racking."
Others who live in the area said they've been left shaken by the incident.
"It's very nerve-racking," said resident Darlene Root. "Right now, I haven't wrapped by head around everything because I woke up into it, so it's very nerve-racking and I hope things get better."
"It is very concerning," said Miriame Lalanne.
The NYPD tweeted a picture of a loaded gun that they said was found at the scene.
The suspect was taken to Queens General Hospital, where he is recovering and in custody. Charges against him are pending.
The officer was treated for the bite.
The incident happened just a few blocks away from where Officer Brian Moore was killed in the line of a duty a year ago after being shot by an armed suspect during a traffic stop.
