Man Who Allegedly Shot Officer May Have Accomplice
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The man who robbed and shot an off-duty police officer at gunpoint in Crown Heights on Saturday appears to have had an accomplice who made off in a getaway vehicle, police said.
On Saturday at about 6 a.m., the police officer, Wiener Philippe, 26, was en route to his St. John’s Place home after a stop at McDonald’s following a social event, police said.
The suspect exited a dark sedan near the site of the shooting, the authorities said. As the officer entered his building, the suspect allegedly confronted him, demanding his wallet, gold chain, and earrings.
Mr. Philippe, who has two years on the job and works in Bushwick, handed over his wallet – containing a plastic police identification card, and, according to press reports, his police badge – and gold chain, police said.
As the officer removed his earrings, the suspect allegedly started patting him down in an apparent search for a weapon. Nervous that the suspect might find his weapon, Mr. Phillipe stepped back, which prompted the suspect to draw his weapon, according to police.
Press reports gave a different account, saying that the suspect pulled out the gun when he saw the officer’s badge. A witness reportedly heard the suspect say, “I have to kill you now.”
Mr. Philippe drew his police-issued gun and shot 10 bullets at the perpetrator, missing the suspect. The suspect fired four times at the officer and one bullet entered Mr. Philippe’s upper right arm and exited the left side of his back, police said. The shooter reportedly fled on foot with Mr. Philippe chasing him.
The suspect, wearing a thin moustache, a baseball hat, jeans, and a black jacket, was last seen near 1191 Park Place. He was forced to flee on foot, police said, because as the shots sounded the suspect’s alleged accomplice drove off. The suspect tried to enter the car but was unable to get in before the vehicle took off.
Responding to a 911 call, police officers found Mr. Philippe at the intersection of Troy Avenue and Park Place. He was taken to Kings County Hospital where he was in stable condition as of yesterday afternoon, police said.
