Armed Suspect Dies After Police-Involved Shooting In Williamsbridge Section Of Bronx
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- An armed suspect is dead after a wild police shooting in the Bronx.
As CBS2's Ali Bauman reports, it's the latest in a recent rash of violence both in the borough and citywide.
The 27-year-old suspect was shot by police at least twice and died at the hospital.
Sources tell CBS2 officers were initially called after the suspect broke into his ex-girlfriend's apartment.
Investigators swept for shell casings around the Bronx River on Thursday after the deadly shootout by East 224th Street.
"All you hear is boom, boom," neighbor Christian Pesantas said.
Cops were responding to a call of a burglary in progress in a first-floor apartment on Bronx Boulevard in the Williamsbridge section around 1:30 p.m. Inside, officers found the 27-year-old suspect armed with a gun.
Police say he refused their orders to drop the weapon, so one of the officers deployed a taser.
"The male then ran into a bedroom, fired two shots, broke a window and fled out of the window," NYPD Chief of Department Kenneth Corey said.
Backup officers chased the suspect to the river.
"It was at this point that the suspect turned toward the officers with the gun in his hand. Three officers then discharged their department-issued firearms at the suspect, striking him in the torso and arm. The suspect then fled into the Bronx River," Corey said.
Sources tell CBS2 the suspect has three prior arrests, as recently as last week when he was charged with raping his ex-girlfriend.
She was giving testimony in the case to a grand jury Thursday afternoon and came home to find the suspect in her apartment.
"This guy has been coming back over here every day, you know, looking for her," neighbor Edwin Rosa said.
Police recovered a gun from the river with three rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber.
"It's bad. It's real bad out here," Pesantas said.
It's been a particularly bad week in the Bronx.
Wednesday, an 11-month-old baby was shot in the cheek by a stray bullet, and Tuesday, a police officer was shot in the leg.
Citywide, police data shows there have been 57 shooting victims so far this year, a 7% increase from this time last year and a 90% increase from five years ago.
"We need help. We need help from Albany," Mayor Eric Adams said.
Gov. Kathy Hochul is vowing to use state police to help the NYPD and embark on a new gun initiative to stop weapons from flooding into the five boroughs.
"What we can do best is to use our state resources, our state police teams, to literally go into places like Pennsylvania and see where people are loading up trunks with guns that are legal there, but not legal in the state of New York," she said. "If we catch them at the thruway stops and we stop them before they can even do harm, then we're making progress."
Back in the Bronx, police have not yet released the suspect's name.
CBS2 has been told he was released on bail two days ago in the rape case, and his ex-girlfriend did have an order of protection against him.
Editor's note: This story was first published Jan. 20.
