NYPD Officer Caught In Gun Battle Leaves Hospital
NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- A sea of blue greeted police officer Ricardo Ramirez as he emerged from NYU Medical Center. Fellow officers were on hand to see the overjoyed cop heading home Friday.
Ramirez is lucky to be alive after being shot three times -- twice in the leg, once in his bullet resistant vest -- allegedly by 17-year-old Elijah Foster-Bey in an East New York stairwell in mid-October.
"It's great, I'm going home, hang out with my family and that's it -- most important thing," an emotional Ramirez told reporters, including 1010 WINS' Al Jones.
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1010 WINS' Al Jones Reports
Ramirez and other officers were on patrol in an unmarked car on Bradford Street near Linton Park. According to the Daily News, that is when Foster-Bey was spotted by the officers and attempted to run away after suspecting they were cops.
The paper said the teen told investigators that he was running away because he was carrying a gun.
Police gave chase into a nearby building, where Ramirez was shot.
Ramirez's family was thrilled to see him out of the hospital and coming home for Christmas.
"Holiday with Ricky in our family...we are so happy and thank God for everything," the officer's aunt Sonia said.
"It's the greatest feeling in the world. From day one we didn't know what was going to happen, but to see him walk out today is historic," Ramirez's brother-in-law Michael Fuentes told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond.
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WCBS 880's Marla Diamond Reports
Foster-Bey, meanwhile, was freed on bail and PBA President Pat Lynch was furious with the judge's decision.
"There is never, ever a reason to allow an attempted cop killer to have bail," Lynch said.
