NYPD fatally shoots man after stolen car nearly hits officer in Brooklyn, police say
EAST NEW YORK, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Police in Brooklyn have shot and killed a man allegedly driving a stolen vehicle and nearly hit an officer on Tuesday night, NYPD said.
Investigators said the 28-year-old man was driving a stolen Porsche near Bay Eighth Street and the Belt Parkway in East New York just after 8 p.m.
Officials say the incident occurred as the NYPD Community Response Team was searching for stolen vehicles.
Officers say they ran the license plates on the Porsche after they appeared to be suspicious. The NYPD says they attempted to pull the car over, but the driver fled eastbound on the Belt Parkway.
According to police, instead of chasing the car, they dispatched other officers who then set up roadblocks several exits away. That's when police tried to intercept the car, but the driver swerved off the roadway onto a service road in the direction of officers and the roadblock.
The NYPD says an officer who was nearly struck by the car fired a single shot, striking the driver.
Police say the officer who shot the suspect is OK.
Officers say the car then travelled to another exit before hitting a department vehicle. The driver was pulled from the car and taken to Brookdale Hospital, where he later died.
At least one passenger in the stolen vehicle was taken into police custody following the shooting. Charges have not been filed against that person.
Police say the 28-year-old driver was on federal probation for stealing vehicles and interstate transport of stolen vehicles in Pennsylvania.
Residents told Eyewitness News they were shocked by the shooting.
"It's insane, this is the first time something like this has happened here," said resident Doris Isakov. "I've lived here for six years and never seen anything like this. It's insane. I've never seen so many cops in one spot."
Isakov told Eyewitness News that most residents park in garages, so they don't fear their vehicles being stolen.
The Belt Parkway was closed during the investigation, and officials warned of traffic delays in both directions on the Belt Parkway near Pennsylvania Avenue.
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