Second Officer Wounded In Bronx Shooting Released From Hospital
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Andrew Dossi, one of two NYPD officers who was shot and wounded in the Bronx earlier this month, was released from the hospital Friday.
As CBS2's Dave Carlin reported, more than 200 uniformed officers gathered at Mount Sinai Hospital Friday afternoon to applaud Dossi, 30, as he emerged from the hospital in a wheelchair. He was surrounded by his doctors, wife and 8-year-old daughter.
He smiled, waved and gave the crowd a solid thumbs up as he was pushed in the wheelchair to a police van, which was waiting to take him home, 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported. His daughter, Adrianna, helped lead the way to the van, CBS2's Dick Brennan reported.
Once home, she made a happy declaration.
"I'm happy that my dad is home, because I miss him," she said.
Second Officer Wounded In Bronx Shooting Released From Hospital
Among the officers showing their support as Dossi was released were Chief of Department Jim O'Neill and four other chiefs, WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported.
Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said Dossi is on the road to recovery.
"It's not over for him," Lynch said. "He still has rehabilitation to do, but he's a long way from where he was and we thank everybody for that."
Officer Dossi was shot in the arm and back, and Officer Aliro Pellerano was also shot and wounded, after responding to a caught-on-videotape deli robbery in the Fordham section of the Bronx on Monday, Jan. 5.
Second Officer Wounded In Bronx Shooting Released From Hospital
Officer Pellerano was honored with a similar reception when he was released from St. Barnabas Hospital Bronx two days after the incident.
"Our two heroes that went to work one day, and ended up getting shot, and ended up in a hospital bed -- but fortunately, both have walked out of the hospital," Lynch said.
The two officers were reunited inside the hospital. Pellerano posed with Dossi in his recovery room were released by NYPD moments before Dossi left Mount Sinai.
The 46th Precinct tweeted out the picture of Dossi and Pellerano with the caption: "Our heroes reunited!!!"
CBS2's Carlin briefly spoke to Officer Pellerano outside the hospital. Pellerano said he was feeling "good."
Meanwhile, New Yorkers had a message for both men.
"Thank you so much," said Kathleen Bite of Harlem. "All New Yorkers thank NYPD for keeping us safe every day."
Officer Dossi may require another surgery on his arm, so he will not be returning to work for a while.
Jason Polanco, 24, and Joshua Kemp, 28, were both indicted on charges of robbery, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of stolen property in connection with the case.
Polanco was also charged with attempted murder, criminal possession and use of a firearm, grand larceny. In addition, Kemp was charged with petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
Bail was set at $200,000 for Kemp while bail was denied for Polanco.
The two were arrested after an intense manhunt that began when police said they robbed the Yemen Deli at 180th Street and Webster Avenue and then fled the scene.
Meanwhile, five members of the 46th Precinct Anti-Crime Unit were getting ready to go off duty when they heard a call of a robbery from a patrol sergeant.
The officers drove down 180th Street past the robbery scene and turned on Tiebout Avenue where police said they spotted Polanco inside a Chinese restaurant with Kemp standing outside.
As the officers approached Kemp, police said Polanco shot one round through the window of the restaurant, hitting Kemp and one of the officers, police said.
Polanco then went outside and fired two more shots, wounding the second officer, police said. One of the cops fired back, but missed, police said.
Polanco then took off and carjacked a white Camaro, but crashed the car a few blocks away, police said. He jumped out and fled on foot, police said. A gun was recovered at the scene.
Police said Kemp, who was injured, had a third man drive him to NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. But when police questioned him, they said his account quickly fell apart.
The person who took Kemp to the hospital then gave up the full story of what had really happened, police said. It was not clear if that person was also arrested.
Polanco was captured after investigators released surveillance video from the shooting that prompted several tips from the public, police said.
Investigators said Polanco has a history of arrests while Kemp has a record of violent felonies.
Police said they are also looking into whether the suspects were involved in a series of similar grocery store robberies in northern Manhattan and the Bronx.
