The 24-year-old officer, who opened fire after the driver of an allegedly carjacked vehicle suddenly began to drive in reverse, is hospitalized with injuries to her hip, leg and pelvis, NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan said.
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The female driver of the vehicle, said to be a teenager, is in critical but stable condition at Lincoln Hospital with gunshot wounds to her chest and left side of her torso.
Monahan said the crime spree began around 6 a.m. Sunday in the Bronx, where three suspects allegedly carjacked a vehicle. They then drove to Manhattan, police said, where they were involved in another robbery. They then drove to Brooklyn, where they allegedly committed two more robberies and a carjacking after leaving the scene of an accident.
WATCH: NewsCopter7 over the Melrose crime scene
Around 11 a.m., authorities were alerted that the vehicle had been located in the vicinity of Sheridan Avenue and East 162nd Street in the Melrose section shortly before noon. Monahan said one of the suspect was due in court on an unrelated matter, which is why the car was parked at the scene.
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As officers approached, Monahan said the driver suddenly began driving in reverse, pinning the officer between the suspect's vehicle and another parked car. That's when she discharged her service weapon, hitting the driver. All three suspects were then taken into custody, and the officer was rushed to the hospital.
NYPD briefing on incident:
In addition to the robbery pattern, two of the suspects arrested were also recently charged in an additional carjacking and robbery on January 22 in the Bronx.
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