Suspect fatally shot by police after robbery at Long Island Best Buy

BAY SHORE (WABC) -- Police on Long Island shot and killed a robbery suspect Sunday night.

Investigators say it all started at about 7:45 p.m. at a Best Buy on West Sunrise Highway in Islip, where the suspect, 21-year-old Denzel Brown, of Amityville, allegedly stole two pairs of headphones.

A witness who spotted Brown hiding behind another store, between two trailers, pointed out his location to police.

"I went to Best Buy, asked if someone stole something," said the witness, who didn't want to be identified. "They said yeah. I said I know where he is. He was waiting there still. I told the cop where he was."

When a female officer tried to apprehend the suspect, police say he tried to flee through the parking lot, across Brentwood Road and on to Nevada Avenue. During the foot chase, there was a struggle and the officer tased Brown, but official say only one of the prongs came out and the pursuit continued.

According to police, Brown then tried to carjack a woman with two young children sitting in the back seat of a car parked in her driveway.

"The adult female screamed at him to get out of the car and told him screaming that there were kids in the car," Suffolk County police chief James Burke said. "The perpetrator climbed over the front seat of the car and got into the front seat...the perpetrator put the car in reverse. Fearing that he would kidnap the children, the officer fired one shot from her .40-caliber Glock service weapon at close range through the driver's window."

Police say the officer reached into the car, over Brown, to put the car into park, but that he kept driving back and forth, now dragging the officer. The officer again tried to tase Brown, but again, the taser didn't work.

"At this point, the officer was in fear of her own life and realized the continued threat to the children," Burke said. "She fired another shot from her service weapon, at point-blank range, striking the perpetrator in the abdomen."

He kept driving but was eventually subdued by other officers.

Brown died later during surgery at the hospital. Authorities say he was not armed.

The officer, a 34-year-old 9-year veteran of the force, was not injured.

"I think in this case, this officer has done just an outstanding and exemplary job," Burke said.

The children were also unhurt.

Authorities say Brown had a pending robbery case, and that headphones were recovered where he was hiding in the parking lot.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.