What to Know
- The NYPD lieutenant shot inside a police station over the weekend was released Monday from a hospital
- Lt. Jose Gautreaux suffered a gunshot wound to the arm when a man subsequently identified as Robert Williams allegedly went inside the 41st Precinct and started firing Sunday morning.
- Williams was arrested and charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at the NYPD lieutenant Sunday morning — just 12 hours after he shot another officer during an ambush in the same precinct, police said.
The NYPD lieutenant shot inside the police station Sunday morning -- one of two officers police say was shot during separate attacks by the same man over the weekend -- was released Monday from the hospital amid thunderous applause.
Lt. Jose Gautreaux, a 15-year veteran, is recovering after suffering a gunshot wound to the arm when a man subsequently identified as Robert Williams allegedly went inside the 41st Precinct and opened fire inside the building Sunday morning. Gautreaux is expected to make a full recovery.
Gautreaux stood and walked into a waiting vehicle after he was wheeled out of the hospital. As he made his way to the vehicle, and with his left arm in a sling, he gave a "thumbs up" as a sea of blue applauded and bagpipes played.
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea was outside the hospital where he gave a handshake and hug to Gautreaux before the injured officer got inside his waiting vehicle.
"We are very lucky and we are all grateful," Shea told reporters.
The NYPD said Williams, 45, of the Bronx, walked into the 41st Precinct, which serves Hunts Point and Longwood, just before 8 a.m. Sunday and opened fire on several uniformed officers, as well as a civilian employee. Williams shot at a lieutenant positioned by a front desk, striking him in the upper left arm, Shea said. He was taken to Lincoln Hospital.
After firing multiple rounds at close range, Williams allegedly placed his gun on the floor and lay down to surrender, Shea said. Police recovered the shooter's firearm empty of bullets, according to Shea, and will test it against evidence gathered from the scene of Saturday's shooting.
Williams was arrested and charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at the NYPD lieutenant Sunday morning — just 12 hours after he shot another officer during an ambush in the same precinct, police said.
Sunday's shooting occurred at the 41st Precinct at the corner of Southern Boulevard and Longwood Avenue — just blocks away from Saturday night's attack on Simpson Street.
Shea said he is "confident" Williams is behind both attacks in the Bronx neighborhood.
Williams allegedly approached two officers Saturday around 8:30 p.m., engaged them in conversation, then pulled out a gun and fired at the officers sitting inside a marked police van, Shea said.
"Let me be very clear: this was an assassination attempt on two New York City officers," Shea said Saturday night from Lincoln Hospital.
The officer in the driver's seat of the van was struck by two bullets, the NYPD said, in the chin and the neck. The officer had started to drive away when the suspect pulled out the gun and fired multiples times, police said.
The officer hurt in the first shooting, Paul Stroffolino, was released Sunday while fellow policemen and women saluted and applauded him as he was brought out of the hospital.
The police commissioner called the shootings attempted assassinations. He blamed recent anti police sentiment, which included a recent protest with anti police demonstrators.
