FDNY Lieutenant Hailed As Hero After Being Shot During S.I. Standoff
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A veteran FDNY lieutenant was recovering in hospital late Friday afternoon, after being shot and wounded during a standoff with a suspected gang member on Staten Island.
As CBS2's Christine Sloan reported, both Mayor Bill de Blasio and Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro went to Richmond University Medical Center Friday, visiting Lt. James Hayes, 53. The mayor called Hayes a true hero.
"Lieutenant Hayes is a very, very impressive guy – cool, calm, collected. He's making light of his injuries," de Blasio said. "Thank God, thank God his injuries are limited as they were. And that really is extraordinary given the situation he's in."
Hayes, a 31-year veteran of the department with Engine 158, was shot in the hip and ankle by Garland Tyree, 38, as Tyree held police in a standoff on a probation violation warrant. The standoff ended with Tyree storming out of the Mariners Harbor house opening fire, and police shooting and killing him.
When Hayes was shot, both bullets exited his body, and his injuries were not life-threatening.
Nigro said the father of two, surrounded by his family, was in pain. But his spirits were high.
"I think he realizes he came very close to not being with us, and seeing his family, he's very happy," Nigro said.
Authorities said when firefighters arrived at the multi-family home on Staten Island, they had no reason to believe the man inside was armed and dangerous. So Hayes rushed in as fellow firefighters stood at the door.
"The smoke was building up. The lieutenant made the decision to go in and fight this fire, and find this person who was possibly unconscious. The lieutenant, in crawling in and looking for the fire; looking for a possible victim, was suddenly shot twice," Nigro said. "He was able to turn around go past the door where the perpetrator was hiding in the bathroom. More shots were fired that missed the lieutenant. He made his way to the entrance of the apartment. His members were able to get him out to the street."
And Hayes was not just a hero during the Staten Island standoff on Friday, but also during the attacks at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001 – making rescues.
Friends said Hayes was simply a great guy.
"When 9/11 happened, he had just became a fire lieutenant," one man said. "I used to see him every day."
Mayor de Blasio said all the firefighters were heroes as they pulled Hayes out of the house.
Hayes comes from a family of firefighters -- three of his brothers are also with the FDNY.
Back in 1994, another firefighter was also shot while responding to a false alarm. He survived.