4 arrested after NYPD cruiser shot up in Brooklyn; 1 suspect wounded

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (WABC) -- A suspect was shot in the leg after opening fire on an unmarked NYPD police cruiser in a wild shootout in Fort Greene Wednesday night.

Authorities say three plainclothes officers in the cruiser spotted the suspect and two others in a dispute as they drove past Park Avenue and North Portland Avenue around 10:45 p.m.

When the officers turned around, the suspect allegedly fired at least seven shots. The vehicle was hit, and the officers returned fire, hitting the gunman. All three suspects then fled on foot, but were later taken into custody, along with a fourth person who drove the injured suspect to the hospital.

A .45 caliber Sar Arms firearm was recovered under the tire of a vehicle near the scene.

"Officers returned fire at Mr. Smith, striking him in the leg," Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said. "While that was happening, we have another individual who we have identified and arrested, who we believe fired four rounds from a .10-millimeter gun."

Police Commissioner William Bratton identified the gunman as 23-year-old Quashawn Smith, who is on parole until December 2016 from a 2012 arrest in East Harlem. He was found and arrested after being treated for a gunshot wound at Beth Israel Medical Center.

Bratton was grateful the situation didn't end up being deadly.

"No injuries there, other than treated for ringing in the ears," he said. "Good work on the part of the officers, proactive."

Also arrested at the Ingersol Houses were 21-year-old Faruq Santos and 24-year-old Devon Morrison. The fourth man, who drove Smith to the hospital, has not been identified.

According to Boyce, the officers were in an unmarked vehicle for a reason.

"You will remember two weeks ago, there was a triple homicide in that development," he said. "We are still actively investigating that case."

And, he says, they made an unexpected discovery -- a suitcase containing a considerable amount of ammunition.

"A pink piece of luggage, I don't believe it belongs to these three individuals," he said. "So I think they thwarted a possible shooting, and they did a really great job."

Smith is in stable condition, and charges against all four are pending.