A man who allegedly went up to a marked NYPD patrol van in the Bronx and opened fire on two officers inside, then fired multiple shots inside a police precinct the following morning, was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison, according to the district attorney.
Robert Williams pleaded guilty in August to two counts of first-degree attempted murder for the incidents during a Feb. 2020 weekend in which he shot multiple NYPD officers, leaving them and another department employee injured. A judge on Friday
"He unleashed a fusillade of bullets in his mission to kill cops. I commend the officers who used tremendous restraint. Now the defendant will serve a lengthy prison term for attacking those who put their lives on the line every day," said Bronx DA Darcel Clark.
According to the investigation, the 45-year-old Williams walked up to a marked NYPD van on Simpson Street around 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 8, 2020, and spoke with two officers inside. He then took out a gun and fired at the cops, striking one of them, who suffered injuries to his chin and neck. Williams ran from the scene.
The next morning, he walked into a stationhouse in the South Bronx before 8 a.m. and shot at five officers, a lieutenant and a sergeant, according to the investigation. The lieutenant was struck in the right arm. Williams then allegedly moved on to a side room where he shot at a sergeant, an officer and a worker.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
Williams soon ran out of bullets and went to leave the precinct, but officers opened fire on him. Williams threw himself to the ground and tossed his gun to police, prosecutors said. He was not shot and was taken into custody at the scene.
News
While in custody, prosecutors said Williams threatened from his hospital bed to shoot more officers if he was released from police custody.
Those who knew Williams said he had fallen into deep despair since his teenage son died while handling a gun on a Bronx street and it went off.
Police previously said Williams had a long criminal history, including a 2002 shooting and carjacking in which he fired a gun at police. He was paroled from prison in 2017. He was reportedly jolted with an electric stun gun during a 2018 DWI arrest.
