An NYPD officer shot and wounded a man who allegedly crashed his car into a city bus in Brooklyn, ran from the crash scene with a gun in his hand, then reached for the weapon when the cop caught up with him, a law enforcement source tells NBC 4 New York.
The 24-year-old suspect was driving a white Mustang and was speeding and weaving through traffic in Crown Heights at about 1 p.m., police said.
A uniformed officer on patrol began following the suspect's vehicle, which crashed into an MTA bus and a flatbed truck, according to police. The man ran from the wreck with a gun in hand, and the officer took off after him.
A man who works nearby, Abe Levin, said, "I heard a smash and heard the police yelling 'stop, stop, stop' and he went up the block."
The suspect fell down after about three blocks, on Montgomery Street, and dropped his weapon. Police said that he reached for the gun and the officer fired twice.
At least one of the bullets hit the man in the stomach, and he was taken to Kings County Hospital in stable condition. Police say the suspect has 15 prior arrests, including n gun charges, dating back to 2007.
The officer was taken to Methodist Hospital for observation.
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Dozens of police officers were at the scene after the shooting, and the roadway was cordoned off.
A police official on the scene praised the officer who went after the suspect.
"He did an admirable job. He was solo," said Chief of Patrol Carlos Gomez. "Utilized good tactics, gave warnings. These warnings were heard by witnesses. He did a great job."
Chopper 4 footage from the scene shows the Mustang wrecked in the roadway as if it were traveling on the wrong side of the road at the time of the crash.
What appears to be a handgun can be seen on the sidewalk at the shooting scene.
The suspect has not been named because police are continuing their investigation.
