NYPD: Devin Spraggins, 22, arrested in shooting of rookie officer Brett Boller in Queens
NEW YORK -- The suspect accused of shooting of a rookie cop on Wednesday was arrested late Thursday and is being held without bail.
Detectives say his arrest was the culmination of video tracking, electronic surveillance and investigative interviews.
With a single finger gesture to the cameras Friday morning, 22-year-old Devin Spraggins was escorted by police out of the 103rd precinct in Queens, accused of shooting a rookie police officer of the same age, Brett Boller, in the hip after fighting with another passenger aboard an MTA bus in Jamaica, Queens.
Spraggins was arraigned on two counts of attempted murder, and filling the halls of the Queens courthouse were dozens of uniformed officers.
"These police officers on the steps behind me are representing their fellow police officer who as we speak is in surgery," PBA President Pat Lynch said.
"Investigation into the shooting was multifaceted and included video tracking, vehicle identification, social media work, computer work, electronic surveillance and investigative interviews," said NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig.
Dramatic cell phone video shows officers rushing to Boller's aid, carrying him to the police cruiser that took him to Jamaica Hospital. Officers say shortly after this happened, Spraggins ran to a parking garage, where he changed out of a blue jacket, mask and red sweatshirt and hopped into a Lyft to a home in Queens Village.
"Computer workups on that residence revealed persons who had social media accounts. Detectives were able to quickly to identify a possible match to our shooter," Essig said.
Thursday, officers went to the home but did not find the suspect. Instead, they were directed to another apartment in the Bronx.
Police say he's a "transient" living in Queens and in the Bronx with three other associates, as police describe.
"Talking to people from the 215th Street location, they say 'He bounces in and bounces out, we see him from time to time,'" Essig said.
A 9-millimeter handgun was found at the Bronx address where he was arrested Thursday at 9 p.m.
"He came out without any incidents," said Mike Kletzel, deputy chief of the NYPD Fugitive Enforcement Division.
Police are now running tests to determine if the handgun matches the 9-millimeter shell casings left at the scene.
"If he'll shoot at a New York City police officer, he'll kill any of us," Lynch said.
Boller has only been on the job for three months and is from Hauppauge, Long Island. Essig has worked with his father, NYPD Inspector Don Boller, for 15 years.
"I spoke with Inspector Don Boller last night. He and his family were very relieved and grateful. But being a member of the Detective Bureau, he was not surprised by the swiftness of the arrest," Essig said.
"Less than 30 hours after the shooting, he was tracked down in the Bronx and arrested. He will now be held to account," NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell told reporters Friday morning.
Officer Boller continues what may be a long road to recovery at Jamaica Hospital.
"We're very fortunate that he did come out of surgery," Sewell said Thursday. "He is recovering. It will be lengthy, but we expect him to make a full recovery. So we're very thankful for that."
"The anxiety when you hear a police officer shot, any police officer shot, especially a new rookie police officer, someone whose father I've worked with for 15 years ... There's just so many emotions that go through you," Essig said.
The NYPD says Spraggins was not on their radar before this, though he was charged with rape as a juvenile.
Spraggins faces charges including first degree attempted murder of a police officer and criminal possession of a weapon. If found guilty in this case, Spraggins faces 40 years to life in prison.
