Two NYPD Officers Shot, Alleged Gunman ‘Had More Than a Dozen’ Priors

Two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers were shot Thursday night by an alleged gunman who “had more than a dozen” priors.

The incident occurred around 8 PM while the officers were “in a stairwell in a building at the Melrose Houses, a public housing complex in the South Bronx.”

According to The New York Times, Officers Patrick Espeut and Diara E. Cruz came across two men and asked for ID. One of the two men — 23-year-old Malik Chavis — allegedly led the officers toward an apartment under the guise of retrieving ID, then “opened fire on the officers in the hallway.”

Officer Espeut was shot in the cheek and Officer Cruz was hit in the abdomen.

Chavis then allegedly went into the apartment, told everyone to clear out, and shot himself.

Officials said Chavis “had more than a dozen arrests.” The New York Daily News reports that Chavis “was released from prison in December 2014 after doing time for attempted robbery.”

NBC New York reports that both officers are in stable condition.