NYPD officer shot in arm in Brooklyn; saved by bullet-resistant vest

CYPRESS HILLS, Brooklyn (WABC) -- An NYPD officer was shot in the arm in Brooklyn on Thursday late afternoon while responding to a call of an emotionally disturbed man.

It happened on Ridgewood Avenue in the Cypress Hills section just after 4:30 p.m.

Police Commissioner James O'Neill says the 29-year-old suspect's mother called 911 saying she needed help with her son, but he was not violent.

When the officer approached the bedroom in the rear of the house, the suspect fired shots at the officer. The injured officer did not return fire.

Police say he was shot several times in the chest, but fortunately was wearing a bullet-resistant vest. One of the bullets did hit his forearm.

The mayor and police commissioner showed off the vest during a news conference and credited it with saving the officer's life.

"This young man was definitely saved by his vest, it made all of the difference here," Mayor de Blasio said.

The 30-year-old officer works out of the 75th precinct and has two years on the force.

He remains at Jamaica Hospital where Mayor de Blasio described him as in good spirits.

"He's showing a lot of spirit, a lot of energy," Mayor de Blasio said. "Our officer is going to come through it, he's a brave young man, he's going to come through it."

The suspect was barricaded. Neighbors also described the suspect as an emotionally disturbed man.

Officers were told the suspect was armed with some type of rifle, what the NYPD refers to as a "long gun."

Once ESU officers entered the home, they found the suspect dead in his bedroom of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

They also recovered two guns near the suspect's body.

A section of the block remained closed off Friday morning as police conducted their investigation.