NYPD cop’s relative, 24, fatally shot in the eye in the Bronx
A relative of an NYPD officer was fatally shot in the eye in the Bronx early Saturday morning, an NYPD spokesman said.
The 24-year-old man was found at Frederick Douglas Boulevard and Macombs Place with a gunshot wound to the right eye around 1:30 a.m., police said.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His identity wasn't immediately released.
Police said the nature of the relationship between the male officer and the victim wasn't clear.
The shooting adds to a string of gun killings that have drawn attention in the Bronx, one of New York City's five boroughs. Authorities did not immediately say whether any arrests had been made or whether they had identified a suspect.
No details were released about a possible motive or the circumstances that led to the gunfire.
It was not clear whether the officer connected to the victim was on duty at the time or had any involvement in the response.
Photo: nypost.com
The area where the man was found sits in northern Manhattan near the Bronx line, a part of the city that has seen periodic bursts of violence in recent years.
Police have not said how many shots were fired or whether the gunfire was captured by any surveillance cameras in the neighborhood.
Investigators from the NYPD were working to piece together what happened in the moments before the young man was found wounded.
Officials also did not confirm whether anyone witnessed the shooting or called it in.
The NYPD often withholds the names of victims until relatives have been notified. In this case, the department said the identity was not being released at this stage.
When a member of a police officer's family is killed, cases can carry added weight inside the department. Police did not comment on how the officer was coping or whether the officer had been assigned any support.
The killing remained under investigation as of Saturday.
Photo: nypost.com
The NYPD is the largest municipal police force in the United States, with tens of thousands of officers spread across New York City. Shootings in the Bronx are handled by local precinct detectives who work alongside borough homicide units.
Police did not say which precinct was leading the investigation or whether the case had been assigned to a specific detective squad.
Authorities appealed for anyone with information to come forward, as is standard in active homicide cases, though the source did not specify a tip line for this incident.
The corner where the victim was found is a busy stretch during daytime hours, though foot traffic thins out in the early morning when the shooting took place.
Police did not release a description of a suspect or say whether the gunman fled on foot or in a vehicle.
No further information was provided about the victim beyond his age and the fact that he was related to a member of the force.
The case comes as New York officials continue to track gun violence across the city, with the Bronx among the boroughs closely watched by police commanders.
This is a developing story. Police said more details would be released as the investigation continues.
Source: NYPOST
