WHITESTONE, Queens — An attempt to apprehend a career criminal following a carjacking ended with an NYPD detective being struck by friendly fire in Queens on Friday morning, officials said.
The shooting happened just before 9 a.m. near the Whitestone Expressway and 22nd Road in the Whitestone section.
According to investigators, the suspect approached a vehicle parked just off a service road, announced a robbery and displayed what appears to be a firearm to the driver.
The driver got out of the car, and the suspect assaulted him. The victim managed to call 911 as the suspect took off. The suspect realized the victim still had the keys, so he returned to the scene, colliding with another vehicle in the process.
The suspect assaulted the victim a second time, got the keys and took off again, but police officers arrived as he turned on 22nd Road and attempted to block him.
"Detectives assigned to Queens South Narcotics see the patrol officers attempting to make the apprehension and try to assist by blocking the car in," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
During the confrontation, three patrol officers assigned to the 109th precinct opened fire, striking the narcotics detective twice in the hand and leg. He was rushed to the Jamaica Hospital in non-life-threatening condition. His name has not been released.
The 28-year-old suspect, identified as Kevin Dubisson, has 10 unsealed prior arrests and was out on parole, Tisch said. He was arrested again on Thursday for fare evasion on the subway but released on a desk appearance ticket.
Dubisson's other previous charges include an attempted robbery in Brooklyn, criminal possession of a weapon in Midtown, a 2016 assault on a police officer and a domestic violence assault.
Prior to today's incident, Commissioner Tisch said Dubisson attempted to steal a car from a gas station on Parsons Boulevard and 20th Avenue, but was scared off by employees there. He also attempted to carjack a woman just steps away from the gas station, but the victim's husband ran outside and scared him off, she said.
"This chain of events, which could have ended quite differently, began because a career criminal, a person who has terrorized victims for nearly a decade, was allowed to continue his violent spree," Tisch said. "It is unconscionable that a violent predicate felon, who pled guilty to two robberies and was out on the streets to continue his crimes today. That is criminal justice reform for you."

source