NEW YORK — On Wednesday, June 3, three New York Police Department Officers were wounded in an altercation with a perpetrator in Brooklyn. One officer was initially stabbed and another two were shot in the hand after responding for backup. All three officers are currently in stable condition.
According to New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea in a press briefing, at around 11:45 p.m. an individual casually walked up to two officers posted at the intersection of Church and Flatbush Avenue. The suspect then stabbed one of the officers in the neck in what the NYPD calls “a completely cowardly despicable unprovoked attack on a defenseless police officer”.
The officers were stationed in the location to stop looters amid the number of protests that have occurred throughout the city and the nation.
“We’ve said, it’s going to happen. We’ve said it has to stop,” said Patrick Lynch, President of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. “All levels have to say, it’s going to end today. And then allow us to go out and do it. We can’t ignore the asinine laws that have been passed, where we put criminals in, and they let them out. That’s why things like this happen, it may not be this situation, but it feeds the atmosphere. It has to stop, all levels have to say it, and allow us to do it.”
Upon hearing gunshots, two other officers responded to the scene where they reported the suspect was believed to be holding a gun that belonged to one of the officers. Following the altercation, 22 gun casings were found by members of the NYPD at the scene.
“You know as I stand here trying to think of what to say the only thing that comes to mind is questions. Are we surprised? Are we surprised we’re here in the hospital again? Did we doubt because of our rhetoric we’re hearing, the anti-police rhetoric, that’s storming our streets? Are we surprised that we got this call? I’m not,” said Lynch.
The perpetrator was struck multiple times and was placed in King’s Hospital in critical care.
Sources identify the suspect as Dzenan Camovic, a 20-year-old immigrant from Albania. The incident is currently being investigated as a terror-linked attack with the FBI assisting in the investigation.
