NYPD detective shot during armed standoff with gunman in Brooklyn: police
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A 15-year veteran of the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) Emergency Service Unit (ESU) was shot in the leg during an hours-long standoff with a barricaded gunman in Brooklyn Friday morning, authorities said.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the incident unfolded around 5:45 a.m. local time when officers from the 79th Precinct responded to a 911 call reporting multiple shots fired at a two-story home in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
The gunman, identified as Lamin Simmons, 48, allegedly fired about 20 shots throughout the confrontation, Tisch said.
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NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that the gunman died at the hospital after officers returned fire. (WNYW)
Drone footage allegedly captured Simmons using a handgun and, around 8:30 a.m., throwing large items, including a microwave oven, lamp, pots and pans, out the window at officers in the backyard below.
An elderly couple was trapped upstairs while Simmons’ wife and son safely escaped the home and told police about his history of mental illness, Tisch said.
Police determined that the incident was caused by an argument between the couple.
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At 8:52 a.m., ESU officers entered the home and encountered Simmons at the top of the stairs, Tisch said. He allegedly ignored direct orders from police to drop his weapon and opened fire on officers, striking detective Matthew Gale in the left leg.
Police said at least four officers returned fire at Simmons, who was later taken to Woodhull Hospital and pronounced dead.
FILE – NYPD said that the incident resulted from an argument with an elderly couple living in the same house. (Kyle Mazza/Anatolia via Getty Images)
Tisch said investigators found two guns at the scene: a Jimenez Arms .380-caliber pistol and a Beretta pistol with an extended magazine.
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Simmons had no prior documented history with the NYPD.
Gale suffered a broken tibia but is in stable condition and in good spirits at Kings County Hospital, where he is expected to survive, according to officials.
FILE – New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani wished a speedy recovery to the injured NYPD detective. (Leonardo Munoz/AFP)
Tisch praised the injured detective and ESU for their consistent execution of the city’s most volatile missions, saying they “met this danger with unusual courage.”
“This morning’s events are a reminder that the men and women of the NYPD routinely place themselves between danger and the people they serve. They are placed in situations that are uncertain, volatile and often life-threatening,” Tisch said. “This morning, Detective Gale risked his life by doing just that.”
“We would like to say that when the public needs help, they call the police, and when the police need help, they call the ESU,” he continued. “Today, once again, they faced this danger with unusual courage.”
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited the hospital to thank medical staff and praise Gale’s bravery, noting: “He put on his uniform, left his home, said goodbye to his family and went to work to keep our city safe.”
“When New Yorkers call 911, they expect someone to show up,” Mamdani said. “This officer and many others, [did] That’s exactly what happened today. “I want to thank the first responders and police officers who took swift action following this shooting, and I know all New Yorkers will join me in wishing Detective Gale a full and speedy recovery.”
