Commissioner William Bratton, NYPD: Good evening. I’m joined by Mayor de Blasio, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, Chief of Department James O’Neill, Chief of Patrol Carlos Gomez, Chief of Detectives Bob Boyce, Commanding Officer of Patrol Borough Queens South Assistant Chief David Barrere, and Department Chief Surgeon Eli Kleinman. The mayor will introduce a number of elected officials who are here when he comes up for his remarks.
This evening at approximately 6:15 pm, one of our police officers was shot while operating an unmarked police car with his partner in the Queens Village section of South Queens. Police Officer Brian Moore and Erik Jansen – both assigned to the 1-0-5 Precinct anti-crime team – wearing plain clothes and inside an unmarked police vehicle, conducting patrol in the vicinity of 212th Street and 104th Avenue.
Officer Moore was seated in the driver’s seat and Officer Jansen was in the passenger’s seat when they observed a male – male, black, in his 30s, walking and adjusting an object in his waistband. The officers continued to observe the suspect walking southbound on 212th Street as he turned and continues southbound on 104th Road. Officer Moore positioned the vehicle behind the suspect and inquired about the suspect’s actions. The male immediately removed a firearm from his waistband and turned in the direction of the officers and deliberately fired several times into the vehicle, striking Officer Moore in the head. Both officers were still seated in the vehicle and did not have an opportunity to get out or return fire.
Please understand that this is all preliminary. This event only occurred several hours ago. So, it is preliminary. The male is identified as Demetrius Blackwell, 35 years old – fled to an alley, where he went on to 104th Road. Realizing that Officer Moore was struck in the head and seriously injured, Officer Jansen immediately radioed for assistance. A responding radio car removed Officer Moore to Jamaica Hospital, while officers on the scene began searching for the suspect. Officers conducted a canvass of the area and located several witnesses that observed a male fitting the description of Blackwell fleeing the area. Blackwell was successfully taken into custody approximately 90 minutes later inside 104-25 212th Place. It was an active crime scene at this location, and we are searching for the weapon. We will be obtaining search warrants.
Police Officer Brian Moore – 25 years of age – was appointed to the department on July 2010. He resides in Long Island. Officer Moore is still in surgery. Doctor Kleinman will give an update on his condition in a moment. The mayor and I have met with his parents. His father and uncle are retired sergeants from the NYPD. He also has a cousin who is on the job. He comes from a police family. Police Officer Erik Jansen was not injured. He is 30 years old and was appointed to the department in July 2011. Demetrius Blackwell is 35 years old and has an extensive arrest history, which includes criminal possession of a weapon and robbery. He has also done time.
I want to thank the medical staff here at Jamaica Hospital – the medical center for their efforts in attending to Officer Moore, who is still in surgery. Again, Dr. Kleinman will update you on his condition. I want to also commend the men and women of the New York City Police Department, who responded to the shooting scene and immediately – one – removed the officer from that scene to the hospital in the first [inaudible] – in all likelihood, potentially saving the officer’s life – and then immediately began the canvasing and search of the neighborhood that resulted in, less than one-and-a-half hours later, the apprehension of the suspect we believe committed this assault upon our officer.
With that, I’d like to introduce Mayor de Blasio. Sir?
Mayor Bill de Blasio: Thank you, Commissioner. Well, it is a painful day for all of us – it is a painful day for all New Yorkers, it’s a painful day for all members of the NYPD.
Police Officer Brian Moore, as you’ve heard, has been very, very seriously wounded. He is a brave young man. As you heard, he comes from a police family. This is what he wanted to do with his life. He wanted to be a New York City police officer. He wanted to serve and he did so with great distinction. I’ve already had the opportunity to hear from some of the commanding officers who work with him, and who respect greatly his approach to this work and his devotion to the job.
He is here in this hospital, and thank God, this is a fine hospital – a level one trauma center with the ability to handle this type of situation. I want to thank everyone at Jamaica Hospital for their efforts, and all they’re doing to help Officer Moore.
Our hearts are with his family, his loved ones – our hearts are with his extended family, the men and women of the NYPD. You know, coming from a police family, and seeing the devotion that so many members of his family had to this city – it was striking to be in the room with his family members and realizing this is a family that has been giving their all to the city now for over two generations.
It’s a reminder of the dangers that all of our officers face every single day. But they are dedicated. They swore an oath, and they live up to that oath – men and women who go out every day and put their lives on the line. This was an unconscionable act of violence, not just against one police officer, but against the city of New York and against the values we hold dear. Thank God because of the great police work you heard about a moment ago, the perpetrator is in custody, and the investigation’s fully underway.
I’m particularly pleased that members of the community aided the investigation immediately, and identified the suspect. It’s important we all keep Officer Moore in our prayers, that we all keep his family in our prayers, that we support them. This family has done so much for New York City. Now New York City must support the Moore family in their time of challenge.
I want to also thank everyone who came here tonight – all of the leadership of the NYPD. I want to thank Judge Brown, the Queens D.A.; I want to thank our Public Advocate Tish James; Ruben Wills, the local Council member; Vanessa Gibson, the chair of the Public Safety Committee in the City Council; State Senator Leroy Comrie; and PBA President Patrick Lynch. Thank you to all for being here.
Commissioner Bratton: Dr. Kleinman?
Dr. Eli Kleinman, Supervising Chief Surgeon, NYPD: Thank you, Commissioner. Good evening. I’m going to keep my comments very general, and I will not be taking any questions afterwards. The officer who was brought here was taken immediately to the operating room by the team of neurosurgeons and trauma surgeons, Doctors [inaudible] and [inaudible], and they did a phenomenal job of intervening in a life-threatening situation and stabilizing Officer Moore. They are now finishing up surgery and will be going to CAT scan and the ICU thereafter. And at that point, we’ll have a better idea of what sort of prognosis we’re looking at. It usually takes 24 to 48 hours before an assessment can be made. But we’re hopeful that he’ll be out of the OR soon and we’ll have something to report at a later time.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
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One Response
“male, black, in his 30s, walking and adjusting an object in his waistband”
So here we have a black thug, shooting with intent to kill, a WHITE police officer. Will we hear from the Kenyan? Will we hear from Sharpton? Will we hear from Loretta Lynch? Will we have WHITE folks rioting and looting? Will the bleeding heart Liberals be closing down the Brooklyn Bridge?
Answer: OF COURSE NOT! IT’S ALL ABOUT RACE! WHITE LIVES DON’T MATTER! THEY’RE ALL EVIL RACISTS ANYWAY, SO GOOD FOR THEM!