BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — An NYPD officer with less than a year on the job was shot by a suspect running from police early Sunday in Bed-Stuy, police said.
The wild incident occurred after a sergeant and two police officers observed the shooter, Naim Owens, 22, adjusting his waistband while patrolling the area near Marcus Garvey Boulevard and Monroe Street in plain clothes in an unmarked vehicle just before 2:30 a.m. Sunday, the NYPD said.
The officers got out and began to approach Owens when he immediately ran in the opposite direction, police said. While fleeing, he ran into two uniformed police officers on foot patrol and began shooting, police said.
John Hirschberger, 28, was hit in the left thigh while Owens was struck in the upper back by officers returning fire, the NYPD said.
Hirschberger, of the 79th Precinct, was taken to Kings County Hospital to treat a graze wound in his left thigh and released, police said.
Owens was apprehended outside 745 Gates Ave. and taken to Kings County Hospital in stable condition.
Police recovered a .38 caliber Rossy gun a few doors away at 715 Gates Ave., the NYPD said. Owens was charged with attempted murder, attempted assault on a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment, police said.
The sergeant and two other law enforcement officials involved in the incident were taken to Jamaica Hospital for evaluation and tinnitus, police said.
