Off-duty NYPD officer shot during attempted robbery in Brooklyn dies; suspect charged
EAST NEW YORK, Brooklyn (WABC) -- An off-duty NYPD officer who was shot during an attempted robbery in Brooklyn over the weekend has died.
The NYPD announced that he passed away on Tuesday, and must begin the devastating process of saying good bye to a fallen brother.
The body of 26-year-old Officer Adeed Fayaz, draped in the NYPD flag, was transferred from Brookdale Hospital to the medical examiner on Tuesday night.
He glided past his wife and their two young kids, one of them captivated by the helicopters above.
"If you're fortunate enough to have children, imagine their father never coming home again," said Pat Lynch, President of the New York City Police Benevolent Association. "They'll never be okay from this.
Fayaz's death comes just hours after authorities announced the arrest of the suspect in the shooting.
Randy Jones, 38, is suspected of shooting the officer in the head.
Officers from Fayaz's 66th Precinct in Borough Park, stood in stony silence late Tuesday as the accused cop killer was taken to central booking. He has been charged with murder and attempted robbery.
Jones was taken into custody Monday at the Days Inn hotel in Nanuet where he had been hiding out along with a female companion.
He was taken into custody with the wounded officer's handcuffs and was taken to the 75th Precinct and expected to be charged with attempted murder of the officer.
"We wanted him to know what he did to that officer," Chief of Detectives James Essig said. "I think it sends a powerful message."
Five children also in the hotel room from ages 6 months to 11 years old were removed by police and given assistance.
The woman was not charged. Charges against Jones are pending the execution of two search warrants.
Jones has at least three prior arrests, including one in 2014 for strangulation. Police are also looking into several Facebook Marketplace robberies to see whether he was involved, Essig said.
He is believed to be part of a two-man stick-up crew that has been linked to at least three robberies in the area.
One of his prior robberies utilized the Facebook Marketplace scam, according to police sources, like the one involved in the shooting of the off-duty officer, who had answered an ad trying to buy a used car.
Police also searched the suspected getaway car, a dark-colored BMW with tinted windows, which was recovered ditched in Manhattan.
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The incident unfolded Saturday around 7 p.m. when the gunman shot and critically wounded Officer Fayaz during an attempted robbery on Ruby Street near Linden Boulevard in East New York.
Officials say Fayaz, who is from Deer Park, went with his brother-in-law to buy a car he arranged to pick up through Facebook Marketplace.
According to Essig, Fayaz and his brother in law were met by Jones who asked whether either of them was carrying a gun. When they responded negatively Jones allegedly grabbed Fayaz in a headlock, pointed a gun at him and demanded money.
Fayaz broke free and Jones shot him in the head, Essig said. The brother in law took a gun from Fayaz's holster and returned fire, getting off six shots before Jones fled in a 2011 BMW.
Police tracked the car to Jones' mother.
PBA President Patrick J. Lynch said, "We are deeply grateful to our detective brothers and sisters for painstakingly piecing this case together and tracking this vicious criminal to his hiding place. Now, the justice system needs to step up and deliver consequences. It needs to send a message to anyone else who would attack police officers or innocent New Yorkers. The system has already failed too many victims. It must not fail our brother and his family."
Fayaz has been with the force since 2017, serving the 66th precinct in Borough Park.
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