news12
Police shot and killed a man on Long Island after he blew off a traffic stop in Queens and left eight cops — including two NYPD officers and one civilian — injured in his wake, Nassau County authorities said .
The deadly episode unfolded when the unidentified suspect sped off from an NYPD traffic stop around 11 p.m. Friday, Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at a news conference.
Cops put out an alert after the rogue driver hit the gas and nearly ran over two NYPD officers, authorities said.
Police said the suspect made his way to Nassau County, where officers tried to block him with their patrol cars at Merrick Avenue and Sunrise Highway in Merrick, News12 reported. Two officers had to jump out of the way as the suspect raced past them, the outlet said.
The renegade driver then drove the wrong way on Sunrise Highway, striking additional police cars and a civilian’s vehicle, the TV station reported. The driver ultimately lost control 4 miles down the road, at Hicksville Road and Sunrise Highway in Massapequa Park.
“It was reckless. He jumped onto oncoming traffic on Sunrise Highway. He’s ramming police cars. He’s ramming civilian cars, and he lost control of his own vehicle,” Ryder said at a news conference, according to Newsday.
“Officers attempted to get that individual to come out of the car, the shooting occurred, and the individual has died,” Ryder told reporters.
The deadly episode, from chase to shooting, spanned about a half hour, Ryder said.
In total, five Nassau officers, the two NYPD officers who attempted the traffic stop and one civilian went to the hospital with minor injuries, Long Island authorities said.
Neither the names of the dead suspect, nor the injured were immediately released.
The NYPD referred inquiries to the Nassau Police Department.