Pace Football Player Killed by Westchester Police

Two people were shot, one fatally, by police in Westchester County Sunday morning after a bar brawl erupted a a local restaurant, law enforcement officials said.

In a press release, Pace University's Westchester campus identified the victim as Danroy Henry, a wide receiver on the Pace football team.  Henry was a junior from Cambridge, Mass., according to the school's roster.

"We extend the deepest sympathies of our community to Mr. Henry’s family and friends. We are working with the police investigation and as appropriate will share more information when it becomes available," university officials said.

A second victim, identified as Brandon Cox was wounded in the melee that happened around 1:20 a.m. in Thornwood at Finnegan's Grill. Both were shot inside a moving vehicle operated by Henry, police said. Cox, a football player from Stonehill and apparently a high school friend of Henry's, is from Massachusetts and is recovering at a Westchester Medical Center, sources said.

The dramatic events started when several Mount Pleasant town and Pleasantville village police responded to a disturbance at Finnegan's Grill, on 1006 Broadway, early Sunday.

In a news conference at Mount Pleasant police headquarters this morning, Police Chief Louis Alagno said a "big fight" started in the parking lot of Finnegan's -- and the brawl even continued after the shooting.

"As officers attempted to quell the situation a Mount Pleasant officer approached an occupied vehicle parked in the fire lane, but upon knocking on the driver's window, the vehicle suddenly sped away," law enforcement officials said of the incident.

The speeding car struck the officer, who wound up on the hood of the vehicle, which continued to accelerate, the press release said. 

The car, which had three people inside, struck a parked Mount Pleasant police car before coming to a stop, officials said. It is unclear if the car struck the other vehicle because Henry had been shot.

Alagno said both a Pleasantville and Mount Pleasant officer fired at the car. Henry was killed and Cox, in the front seat, was wounded.  A third passenger was unharmed. Two officers were also treated and released, Alagno said.

The father of the third passenger, Desmond Hinds, who was apparently in the backseat, told NBCNewYork that Henry was a great young man.

"I want to establish that was a great kid. A great kid. No drugs, no guns, no negative vibes," he said.

"My son Desmond Jr. was in the backseat. Shots fired into a car where there were no guns, no drugs... that's not right," Desmond Hinds Sr. told NBCNewYork. His mother said Hinds is on the Dean's list at school.

Chief Alagno refused to comment on whether deadly force was used.  He described the officers involved as "veterans."

"Everyone is distraught.  This is a tragic incident," he said.
 

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