Mayor Adams, NYPD commissioner fed up with gun violence point fingers at court system

Mayor Eric Adams made stunning charges Wednesday that gun violence continues unabated because the bad guys think they won't be prosecuted.

Angry and frustrated barely begin to describe the mayor, CBS2 political reporter Marcia Kramer says, as he confronted the latest in a string of violent incidents that have prevented him from making good on his election promise to make the streets safe again.

"We've never experienced the level of total disregard and fearlessness of carrying a gun and using a gun," Adams said. "I've never witnessed anything like this. There's a real energy out there that it's alright to carry and use a gun because nothing is going to happen to you."

Adams' frustration boiled over after a 32-year-old officer was shot in the Bronx, chasing a dangerous criminal who sources say should not have been on the streets of the Bronx or anywhere else.

Although he was upset about the officer, who luckily was released from Lincoln Hospital on Wednesday, he and Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell were furious that the man they were chasing, identified as 25-year-old Rameek Smith, was walking the streets of the Bronx with a 9 millimeter Glock.

The chase ended on Bathgate Avenue and Claremont Parkway, where Smith fired two shots at the officers. They fired back, fatally hitting him in the head.

The commissioner describes Smith as "a man with a criminal history, most recently caught jumping a subway turnstile while carrying a firearm."

"He was arrested for carrying that firearm. He was already on probation for a prior 2016 robbery conviction, indicted by a grand jury and still no bail was set," Sewell added.

CBS2 learned that the Brooklyn District Attorney's office, which has been reluctant to seek bail, especially during the pandemic, asked the judge to hold Smith on $50,000 bail, but he refused.

The mayor says it's a loophole in the law because, although Smith didn't know it, ballistics tests determined that the bullets in the gun were inoperable.

"I think that the DA asking for $50,000, some sort of bail should have been placed on this individual, but keep in mind that if the bail was placed, because the bullets that he put in the gun that he thought were operable, because they were not, it's not bail eligible," Adams said.

"So how does that make you feel?" Kramer asked.

"There's a lot of lack of clarity in this city right now, but one thing is not clear -- people don't feel any lack of clarity knowing that I'm pissed off," Adams said.

The mayor says both the state legislature and the judicial system have to step up and stop hamstringing the NYPD from being able to get guns off the street.

Smith's lawyer insists his client was a man struggling with "multiple ailments" who needed access to services and community-based support.

CBS2 has received new video that shows the deadly confrontation between a police officer and a suspect in the Bronx.

Video shows an officer chasing the suspect Tuesday night in Claremont.

Police are still not saying why officers approached the suspect but say the suspect immediately took off running and fired two shots at officers.

Police returned fire, killing 25-year-old Rameek Smith.

An NYPD officer is home and recovering from a gunshot wound after a shootout in the Bronx last night.

The man police say fired at officers, has died.

As CBS2's Astrid Martinez reports, the scene where the exchange of gunfire took place is still closed off and under investigation.

Detectives are still not yet saying why the two officers approached the suspect in the first place.

An NYPD officer is safe this afternoon after being shot in the Bronx Tuesday night. Police say around 10:30 p.m., officer Dennis Vargas and his partner were in uniform, patrolling in their unmarked vehicle when they spotted 25-year-old Rameek Smith and tried to approach him. 

Police say Smith immediately took off running and moments later fired two shots at officers.

Smith was shot in the head and Vargas was struck in the arm.

Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Eric Adams spoke on the city's continued battle to get guns off the streets.

"If you were to speak with senior law enforcement officers across this country, they will tell you that we've never experienced the level of total disregard and total fearlessness of carrying a gun and using a gun. I've never witnessed anything like this," Adams said. 

Police say they found a nine millimeter Glock on Smith. It was stolen in Virginia last year. 

Outraged, Adams questioned why Smith was still on the streets after multiple arrests, some including gun charges. 

One was from 2020, for which he was still awaiting sentencing. 

"I believe that we need to open our court systems and ensure that these dangerous people are arrested, brought to trial in an expeditious fashion. We need to look at some of our laws," Adams said. 

Smith's girlfriend and mother of their 2-year-old daughter was hysterical when she learned he died, saying he wasn't a dangerous person.

"Now my daughter won't have a father at the end of the day. I'm hurt," Natasha Ramos-Washington said.

The Legal Aid Society, which was representing Smith, released the following statement criticizing the mayor's characterization of their client: 

Rameek Smith was a father and son. His tragic and untimely killing is devastating. Mr. Smith was released from New York City Department of Correction custody on a non-violent felony in March 2020, on consent of the Kings County District Attorney's office and the Court. Since that time, after being accepted to Mental Health Court, Mr. Smith complied with all of his obligations, attending every court appearance and consistently participating in programming to address his needs.

Mayor Adams and the New York City Police Department's baseless claims that this case involves bail reform is patently incorrect and exposes the Administration's continued refusal to comprehend the scope and benefits of these reforms.

If anything, Mr. Smith's case underscores the need for early intervention, access to services and community-based support. 

Lastly, we caution New Yorkers on crediting the Mayor's unconscionable fear-mongering about last night's killing. In the end, a young man, struggling with multiple ailments, had his life cut short, and the public should not lose sight of that regardless of incendiary comments from City Hall."

Adams responded Wednesday. 

"If it were just bail reform then it would be an easy fix. And so, I say to the Legal Aid, come to the table with me and hear what I'm saying and you will see how we are agreeing on the same thing," Adams said. 

Adams, who has recently been criticized for defending officers, also said he was tired of the complaints about officers who are doing their job.

Detectives are still not saying why two officers approached the suspect in the first place. That's all still part of the investigation. 

Dozens of evidence cones lay speread out across Bathgate Avenue near Claremont Parkway, where a police-involved shootout that left a 25-year-old suspect dead and a police officer injured. 

That officer, 32-year-old Dennis Vargas, was treated and released from Lincoln Hospital Wednesday morning, with his fellow brothers and sisters in blue cheering him on. 

"We are extremely fortunate," NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said. 

The police commissioner said around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Vargas and his partner were in uniform patrolling in their unmarked police vehicle when they spotted a man walking on the sidewalk on Third Avenue, later identified as 25-year-old Rameek Smith. 

Sewell said when they approached him, he ran away and fired two shots at the officers as they chased after him. 

"There was an exchange of gunfire between the officers and the suspect. During the incident, one officer was struck the left arm and the male was struck to head," Sewell said. 

Police say they found a nine millimeter Glock on Smith. It was stolen in Virginia last year. 

Smith's girlfriend and mother of his 2-year-old daughter was hysterical when she first learned he died. She said he wasn't a dangerous person. 

"I don't know what triggered my man do that," said Natasha Ramos-Washington. "Now my daughter won't have a father at the end of the day. I'm hurt." 

Mayor Eric Adams, outraged, defended the police officers, saying they are part of the Bronx Public Safety Team.

"Officer Vargas is a police officer going after guns," Adams said. "Let's critique the actions of those who are committed to crimes in this city."

Adams spent the morning wondering why Smith was still on the streets after multiple arrests, some including gun charges. One was from 2020, which Smith was still waiting to be sentenced for. 

"New York deserves better," Adams said. 

Later Wednesday, the mayor and commissioner say they'll be announcing new actions to help increase public safety. 

An NYPD officer is out of the hospital this morning after being shot during a foot chase in the Bronx. We're also told the suspect has was chasing has died. 

The mayor and police commissioner said the officer was shot by a dangerous criminal who should not have been on the streets of the Bronx or anywhere else. But his girlfriend is painting a different picture, telling CBS2 his mistakes in the past should not have led to this.

As CBS2's John Dias reported, applause and sighs of relief welcomed the brave 32-year-old officer as he was released from Lincoln Hospital early Wednesday morning. 

"We are extremely fortunate," NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said. 

The police commissioner said around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, two uniformed officers from the Bronx Public Safety Team were patrolling in their unmarked police vehicle when they spotted a man, later identified as 25-year-old Rameek Smith, walking on the sidewalk on Third Avenue. 

The commissioner didn't say why the officers first approached him, but when one did and the other followed in their car, the suspect immediately ran away. The chase ended on Bathgate Avenue and Claremont Parkway, where Smith fired two shots at the officers. 

"There was an exchange of gunfire between the officers and the suspect. During the incident, one officer was struck in the left arm, and the male was struck to the head," Sewell said. 

Police said the suspect died Wednesday morning at St. Barnabas Hospital. Detectives say they found a 9 mm Glock on him. 

"It was stolen out of Richmond, Virginia, June 14 of last year," said NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essex.

Mayor Eric Adams said Smith had a long history with police and had been arrested multiple times. 

"New York is deserved better," the mayor said. 

Smith's girlfriend and the mother of his 2-year-old daughter was inconsolable when she learned he died. She spoke with CBS2 right before, saying he wasn't a dangerous person. 

"This really hurts," Natasha Ramos-Washington said. "The criminal record was before, not now."

His latest arrest was in March of 2020 for criminal possession of a weapon. Police found it when he was caught jumping a turnstile on the subway. 

"People want to ask, why am I cracking down on fare evasion? That's why," said Adams. "For 20 months after the arrest, he remained on the streets. He finally pled guilty, December 2021. So you're asking yourself, he pled guilty in December 2021, why wasn't he in jail? He was still out, waiting to be sentenced."

Later Wednesday, the mayor and police commissioner say they will announce actions they believe need to be taken to deal with the issue.

Officials say two officers were patrolling in uniform in an unmarked vehicle on Third Avenue when they saw a man on the sidewalk.

As the officers got out of the vehicle and began to approach the man, the man allegedly began to run and the officers pursued.

Near Bathgate Avenue and Claremont Parkway, Chief Det. James Essig says the suspect turned and fired two shots. The officers returned fire.

One officer was struck in the left arm. He was taken to Lincoln Hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

The suspect was struck in the head and was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital in critical condition.

Police say a 9mm Glock was found near the suspect. Essig says the gun was stolen out of Virginia in 2021.

Chief Det. James Essig says the suspect is a 25-year-old man whose listed address is a homeless shelter on Staten Island. Essig says the suspect has family in the Bronx.

The suspect's arrest history includes a robbery on Staten Island in July 2016. He pled guilty and was sentenced to five years probation.

While out on probation in March 2020, Essig says the suspect jumped the turnstile at a Coney Island subway station. When he was caught, he was allegedly carrying a 32-caliber handgun. He pled guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in December 2021 and is awaiting sentencing in June.

"For 20 months after the arrest, he remained on the streets. He finally pled guilty December 2021. So you're asking yourself, he pled guilty in December 2021, why wasn't he in jail? He was still out waiting to be sentenced. The sentence was pushed off for five months, and then you know what else happened? It was pushed off again. People want to ask why am I cracking down on fare evasions? That's why. People want to ask why we're conducting 300,000 station inspections? That's why. People want to ask why we're pushing for reform? That's why," Mayor Eric Adams said early Wednesday.

The mayor said he and Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell will announce "actions we believe need to be taken to deal with this real issue that we are facing."

The NYPD said just before 1 a.m. Wednesday that Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell would be speaking at Lincoln Hospital.

CBS2 has learned that a suspect was also shot Tuesday night.

Both the suspect and the officer were taken to area hospitals.

The officer is expected to survive. The suspect's condition is unknown.

Police around 11 p.m. Tuesday said residents should avoid Bathgate Avenue and Claremont Parkway.