STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A police response to a domestic violence complaint Tuesday morning led to the shooting of a police officer and the death of the suspect in Stapleton, city officials said.
NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill said the officer and her partner responded to a report of a past domestic assault, and met the alleged victim on Park Hill Lane around 8:19 a.m.
The relationship between the alleged suspect -- identified by multiple sources as 39-year-old Gregory Edwards -- and the domestic violence victim is unclear, but police spotted him during a canvas with the victim.
Edwards had multiple previous arrests, and was sentenced to five years in 2012 following a conviction for weapons charges.
After dropping the victim off at a safe distance and calling two additional officers for backup, the four cops approached the suspect near the intersection of Prince Street and Mickaradan Court. O’Neill said the suspect immediately became combative.
He said officers deployed a taser, which prompted Edwards to draw his firearm. O’Neill said the taser struck Edwards.
The responding officers grabbed Edwards’ arm to direct the gun “away from the crowd,” which fired two times, according to O’Neill. He said the gun was recovered at the scene.
Officers then fired three times. The officer was struck in the hand, and Edwards was killed. The unidentified officer will need surgery, but is expected to recover.
Police Benevolent Association Pat Lynch said the shooting was indicative of the dangers police officers face every day on the job.
“When that gun was raised in that perp’s hands, our officers never hesitated,” Lynch said. “Thank God she’s going to be alright.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio said the officer came from an immigrant family, and joined the force in 2016 with her assignment in the 120th Precinct.
“The NYPD did everything it could to protect this woman,” de Blasio said. “This (Edwards) was someone who caused real harm.”
The mayor was slated to attend the AFL-CIO’s Workers’ Presidential Summit in Philadelphia, but his campaign said they decided to suspend those plans following the shooting.
“The trip is suspended while we assess the situation, the mayor’s campaign spokeswoman Jaclyn Rothenberg said.