A 9mm Glock police say was stolen out of Virginia and recovered at the shooting scene in the Bronx. Credit: NYPD.
Firearm-with-Watermark
(77WABC)- A suspect, freed ahead of a June sentencing date for a past gun bust, allegedly shot an NYPD officer Tuesday night. Police say NYPD Officer Dennis Vargas, working for the Bronx Borough Safety Team and his partner spotted the suspect, 25-year-old Rameek Smith near 3rd Ave. and Claremont Parkway. Smith fled on foot as the uniformed officers exited their unmarked patrol vehicle. The officers gave chase with Smith allegedly firing twice at the officers on Bathgate Ave.
Officer Vargas, 32 years old, was struck in his arm. Police say the officers returned fire. Smith was struck in his head and taken to St. Barnabas Hospital in critical condition.
Vargas was treated and released from Lincoln Medical Center for a gunshot wound
Officials said Smith, 25 years old, was initially stopped because it appeared he was carrying a weapon.
At Wednesday morning’s press briefing. Police Commissioner, Keechant Sewell. called Smith ” a dangerous criminal who should not have been on the streets of the Bronx or anywhere else.”
WATCH as @nycmayor and @nypdpc provide an update on the officer shot in the @nypd42pct. https://t.co/wGRUbAVxRo
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) May 11, 2022
An angry NYC Mayor Eric Adams said during the briefing, that the shooting is an example of why he is calling for further reform of NY States Bail Reform laws.
A 9mm Glock that was reported stolen out of Virginia last June was recovered from the shooting scene, according to the NYPD’s Chief of Detectives James Essig.
Smith, who lives in a Staten Island homeless shelter, was last arrested in 2020 in March at a Coney Island subway station. He was allegedly found with a gun after being stopped for fare evasion and charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
He was convicted of robbery in 2016. He was sentenced to five years probation, officials said.
Smith pleaded guilty last December in the gun case and was released until his sentencing, which has been delayed twice. He is due back in court next month.
