MANHATTAN — A police sergeant is suing the city after getting shot in the foot by another officer during a skirmish with a pit bull during a call at a Brooklyn homeless shelter, according to a lawsuit filed in New York Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Sergeant Junmei Zhang is suing the city as well as the Department of Homeless Services saying that the officer who shot him "negligently and carelessly" discharged his weapon and that the pit bull should not have been at the shelter, according to the lawsuit.
On Feb. 17 at 10:37 p.m. Zhang and another officer were responding to reports of an assault on the 6th floor of a homeless shelter at 9720 Kings Highway in Brownsville, according to the lawsuit and reports.
When they opened the door a pit bull rushed at the officers and Officer Philip Longo, 28, fired his gun towards the animal, accidentally shooting Zhang, 36, in his right foot near his big toe, according to reports.
Police said that a fragment of the bullet hit the sergeant after ricocheting off some concrete.
The pit bull Chewya, was one year old at the time and didn't bite either officer, her owner told the New York Post. The dog was not hurt and was taken by Animal Care and Control, her owner said.
Because of his injury, Zhang was "totally disabled" and thinks "the disability will continue for some time in the future to his further damage," the lawsuit says.
Zhang's lawyer declined to comment when reached by phone.
