NEW SPRINGVILLE, Staten Island (PIX11) — An NYPD officer and a suspected shooter were both wounded when gunfire erupted in Staten Island early Thursday morning, police said.
Based on a long-term investigation, Staten Island narcotics officers executed a search warrant early Thursday at a home on Rockne Street, near Elwood Avenue in the New Springville neighborhood, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at a briefing.
NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig added that they also had an arrest warrant for an individual tied to the location.
Officers entered the two-story house just after 6 a.m., announcing their presence before making their way upstairs, where there were three bedrooms, Essig said. As the team reached the first bedroom, an alleged gunman fired multiple times toward the officers from the farthest bedroom down the hall, the chief said.
One of the officers was struck in the right leg, according to Essig. Officials said the officer was expected to make a full recovery, but that the injury could have been career ending and potentially life-threatening.
“I have to highlight and emphasize the heroics of the detective who was shot,” the commissioner said.
According to Sewell, even after being shot and bleeding so badly that officers had to apply immediate pressure to slow the blood loss, the wounded cop held up a ballistic shield in front of his team to protect them from gunfire.
Multiple officers returned fire, striking the suspected shooter in the right inner leg, Essig said. The chief identified the suspect as 39-year-old Nelson Pizarro and said he was taken into custody and a 9mm Beretta handgun was recovered at the scene.
Pizarro’s extensive criminal record includes seven prior arrests in New York and two outside of the state; a gun arrest in Massachusetts and a larceny charge in Connecticut, according to Essig. Within the state, Pizarro was previously hit with charges including criminal possession of a controlled substance, reckless endangerment, weapons possession and more.
He faces charges of attempted murder of a police officer, assault on a police officer and criminal possession of a weapon, police said Thursday night.
Also arrested was Anthony Marshal, 40, the man the original arrest warrant was issued for, Essig said. He was picked up for the sale of a controlled substance and has four prior arrests in New York, plus a 2018 New Jersey arrest for cocaine distribution, according to the chief.
Two women at the location were also taken into custody, Essig said. It was unclear if they were expected to be charged with anything.
The NYPD held a briefing to share the latest updates on the shooting. Watch in full below:
This was the city’s second officer-involved shooting in under 48 hours. It was also the third in January.
An NYPD officer was wounded when a teen suspect’s gun went off in the Bronx on Tuesday night, police said. Authorities believe the 16-year-old’s firearm went off during a struggle with officers, the bullet hitting the teen in the groin, passing through and then striking the officer’s leg.
The officer was released from the hospital later that night. The teen was arrested the next day on charges including attempted murder and criminal possession of a firearm, officials said.
Earlier in the month, an NYPD officer was shot while sleeping the parking lot of an East Harlem precinct. The seven-year veteran suffered a fractured skull.
Mayor Eric Adams, a former cop himself, has met with grassroots, gun violence prevention groups in recent weeks. He’s said he wants to wants to reform and rebuild New York City’s plainclothes anti-crime units to get more guns off the streets.
“One officer shot is one officer too many,” Adams said early Wednesday.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Correction: The NYPD officer was executing a search warrant, authorities later clarified.
