Videos show man ambushing NYPD officers in separate incidents
Two New York Police Department officers were shot within 12 hours over the weekend in the New York City borough of the Bronx, CBS New York reports.
The suspect in both incidents, 45-year-old Robert Williams, was facing arraignment Monday on charges of attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon and resisting arrest.
Police say he was on a mission to kill. Fortunately, the officers are expected to be OK, but investigators say the bullets came very close to taking their lives.
Surveillance video shows the suspect walking into a police station just before 8 a.m. Sunday. He fires multiple rounds at uniformed officers.
"It was a premeditated effort to kill," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "Not just to kill other human beings, but to kill those that wear a uniform that represents all of us."
The suspect can be seen diving to the floor when, witnesses say, his gun jammed. The weapon slides away, and at least a dozen officers rush in to take him down.
Police said Lt. Jose Gautreaux was shot in the upper left arm.
"It is only by the grace of God and the heroic actions of those inside the building that took him into custody that we are not talking about police officers murdered inside a New York City police precinct," said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea.
Investigators believe Williams also tried to kill two other officers just 12 hours earlier.
He allegedly fired at two officers sitting in a patrol van, hitting one in the chin and neck. That incident was also caught on surveillance video.
"This is not a crime gone bad, this is not a liquor store robbery interrupted that a tragedy erupts from," Shea said. "This is a premeditated assassination attempt."
Officer Paul Stroffolino was released from Lincoln Hospital to his brothers in blue yesterday.
"What we're talking about here, quite frankly, is a cop killer, it's just our cops were so good, he didn't get them," said Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch.
Police said Williams went to prison for attempted murder in 2002 and was released on parole in 2017. During that incident, he exchanged gunfire with NYPD officers are shooting one person and carjacking another in the Bronx.
Williams was recently arrested on driving while intoxicated charges and was scheduled to appear in court for that on Monday as well.
