Police shot in Harlem: NYPD officer killed, another wounded in a shooting when responding to domestic incident in Harlem -

They are the fourth and fifth New York Police Department officers to be shot in the city this month, according to officials.

Police identified the slain officer as Jason Rivera.

“We mourn the loss of a hero officer — a son, husband, and friend. Only 22 years old, Police Officer Jason Rivera was murdered in the line of duty,” the NYPD said in a tweet.

The incident unfolded as officers were responding to a domestic call at 6:15 p.m. in Harlem, officials said. A woman called 911 and reported she was having a dispute with one of her sons inside her apartment, said NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig.

Shortly after, three NYPD officers arrived at the apartment and met the mother and another son. They both directed two of the officers to a room in the back of the apartment, where her other son — the suspect– was waiting, Essig said.

“The door swings open and numerous shots are fired, striking both officers — one fatally and one is here at Harlem Hospital in critical condition,” Essig said.

The third officer shot the suspect, identified as Lashawn McNeil, in the arm and head when he tried to escape, police said. McNeil, 47, is in critical condition at the hospital, officials said.

Earlier, a law enforcement source told CNN that a civilian believed to be involved in the incident had died, but that was not the case.

Mayor says it’s an attack on the city

Mayor Eric Adams, who was at Harlem Hospital where the officers were taken, described the shootings as an attack against the children and families of the city.

“It is our city against the killers,” said Adams, who has been in office for less than a month. “We are going to need everyone on the same page to accomplish this task,” he said.

“Let me be clear, there are no gun manufacturers in New York City. We don’t make guns here. How are we removing thousands of guns off the street and they still find a way into New York City in the hands of people who are killers?” he said.

When Adams, a former police captain, was inaugurated on January 1, he emphasized he would not let New York become “a city of disorder.”

However, his tenure has been marked by a series of high-visibility incidents that have spotlighted the complex challenge of crime in the city.

11-month-old girl in critical condition after she was shot in face, caught in crossfire in the Bronx

Though not near the rate of the early 1990s, it has been on the rise in recent months. In November — the most recent month for which the city has released data — the crime rate increased by 21.3% from the same period last year, according to the NYPD.

During the Democratic primary campaign, public safety became a top issue among candidates, and Adams argued he was uniquely qualified to confront it, given his service of more than 20 years with the NYPD.

“Mission one is to deal with the gun violence in our city,” he said at his inauguration. “You don’t start bringing in the new year with bringing in violence; it’s unacceptable.”

In addition to the police shootings, the mayor has had to confront other violent attacks this month.

They have included a seriously injured 11-month-old, who was shot in the face when caught in the crossfire on Wednesday in the Bronx, and the death of a 40-year-old woman who was pushed in front of an oncoming subway train on January 15 at the Times Square station.

Police said the subway incident was a random attack. The suspect was charged with second-degree murder after he turned himself in to police less than an hour later.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks at Harlem Hospital on January 21, 2022.

Gun used in shooting was stolen in 2017

One of Adams’ key hires was Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, who was previously the Chief of Detectives in Nassau County, Long Island.
On Friday night, she said the Harlem tragedy was “beyond comprehension.”

Sewell added: “Please pray for our officer that lies in his hospital bed fighting for his life. And every single day appreciate the valor and sacrifice of the men and women of the NYPD.”

Keechant Sewell seen as 'absolutely ready' to succeed as NYPD's top cop

The firearm used in the shooting was a Glock 45 with a high-capacity magazine that holds up to 40 additional rounds, police said. It was stolen from Baltimore in 2017, and the NYPD said it is working with the Joint Firearms Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to further trace the gun.

“We have four times this month rushed to the scene of NYPD officers shot by violent criminals in possession of deadly, illegal guns,” Sewell said.

Adams called for assistance from national leaders.

“We need Washington to join us and act now to stop the flow of guns in New York City and cities like New York,” the mayor said. “We’re all witnesses.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland offered condolences to Sewell and told her that the Justice Department and FBI were ready to assist, according to a tweet. The FBI was already in touch with their counterparts at the NYPD, he added.

New York Attorney General Letitia James released a statement in response to the shooting, saying the entire state is mourning.
“As we await the facts, my office may assert jurisdiction in this matter. We pray for the safety of our police and our communities,” James said.

CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz and Rob Frehse contributed to this report.

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