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Drug Fugitive Arrested After Furious Gun Battle With Marshals

By Natalie Musumeci | August 27, 2014 9:34am | Updated on August 27, 2014 3:53pm
 Several U.S. Marshals were trying to arrest a fugitive inside a Queens home on Aug. 26, 2014 when the man opened fire, authorities said.
Several U.S. Marshals were trying to arrest a fugitive inside a Queens home on Aug. 26, 2014 when the man opened fire, authorities said.
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QUEENS — A fugitive who was on the run from the law for more than two decades unleashed a hail of bullets at federal marshals when they tried to arrest him in a Springfield Gardens home Tuesday night, sparking a furious gun battle.

Oswald Lewis, 45, donned a bulletproof vest and emptied two guns "without warning" when marshals found him in his hideout on 175th Street and 144th Drive around 11 p.m. But he gave up after he ran out of bullets.

Several marshals tracked Lewis, 45, who was wanted since he was indicted for conspiracy to distribute cocaine in April 1991 in Virginia, to the apartment.

When they made their way into Lewis’ apparent hideout, he fired off several rounds from two loaded handguns while wearing a bulletproof vest, U.S. Marshals Assistant Chief Deputy Jim Elcik said.

“Without warning, he began shooting,” Elcik said.

The marshals returned fire, hitting Lewis in the left arm, officials said.

Lewis only surrendered to the marshals once he was out of bullets, said Elcik. Amazingly, no marshals were hurt in the exchange.

"He kind of gave himself up when he ran out of ammunition," Elcik said.

Since the warrant was issued for Lewis in 1991, he was arrested twice – once in 1993 in Maryland on possession of smuggling and distribution of cocaine charges and then again in 1995 when he was arrested by North Carolina Highway Patrol for trafficking cocaine, according to officials.

But in both instances, he produced a fake ID and posted bond before his fingerprints came back, officials said.

Lewis was still recovering at Jamaica Hospital as of Wednesday and he will be brought to federal court to face charges.