An off-duty New York Police Department officer was shot in the head while he slept in his car between shifts.
He has been listed in stable condition.
The officer was sleeping in his personal car, outside the Manhattan police precinct, after ending his late-night shift at a New Year’s Eve event in Central Park, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell stated.
While he was laid back in the driver’s seat, a bullet entered through his rear passenger window, striking him in the temple.
The officer woke up at 6:15 a.m. in pain and discovered that his rear window was shattered.
It was an on-duty officer who came to his aid. The injured officer was then transported to a nearby hospital, where he underwent surgery to have the bullet fragments removed, ABC News reported.
Officials said the officer is a seven-year veteran of the force and father of two. Officials added that he has a fractured skull and is expected to make a full recovery.
“We are grateful that our officer is recovering, as we know this could have been a very tragic outcome,” Sewell told reporters outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where the office is recuperating. “I also truly believe this incident underscores that there are far too many guns out there in the wrong hands and too many people willing to fire those weapons, and that is something we intend to tackle head-on.”
“It appears that the bullet was fired from a significant distance away,” Sewell said. “It’s hard to tell who the intended target was if any.”
