An NYPD detective was shot in Brooklyn early Sunday morning during a fast-moving shootout with an armed teenage suspect, according to police sources reported by the New York Post.
The shooting happened around 4:45 a.m. in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, after officers in an unmarked police vehicle encountered an 18-year-old suspect allegedly carrying a semi-automatic pistol. The officers were reportedly part of a sex offender monitoring unit that had been reassigned to Brooklyn as part of enhanced Fourth of July weekend patrols.
During the confrontation, the suspect allegedly opened fire, striking Detective Robert L. Karroll in the back. Officials said the detective’s ballistic vest prevented a far more serious injury, with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch saying the vest saved his life. Karroll was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and is expected to recover.
A second officer also suffered facial bruising during the incident. Police sources said the officers’ vehicle was hit several times by gunfire as the situation unfolded. Three officers returned fire, but the suspect was not struck.
After the exchange of gunfire, the suspect ran from the scene but was quickly captured following a foot chase. Police recovered a SAR 9mm handgun believed to have been used in the shooting.
Authorities said the encounter happened so quickly that body-worn cameras did not capture the full shooting. The investigation remains ongoing as police continue reviewing evidence and the circumstances that led to the confrontation.
The shooting comes during a violent holiday weekend in New York City. Brooklyn also saw another major shooting in Coney Island, where several people, including children, were shot while watching Fourth of July fireworks.
The incident has renewed attention on the dangers police officers face during patrols, especially during large holiday deployments when NYPD units are spread across the city to respond to crowds, celebrations, and potential violence.
Detective Karroll’s survival is being credited to his protective vest, which officials say prevented the shooting from becoming another fatal attack on a New York City police officer.
