NEW YORK – An off-duty New York City police lieutenant was in critical condition following a possible robbery attempt outside a nightclub in Queens, according to authorities.
According to a senior NYPD official with knowledge of the preliminary investigation, the off-duty cop was heading to his vehicle near 57th Street and Northern Boulevard in the Woodside section when several men approached him. At least one gunman shot him in the leg, chest and wrist and grazed his head.
The lieutenant carrying his service weapon at the time returned fire to one of the suspects and killed him. The man has not been identified.
According to ShotSpotter, approximately 12 shots were fired. Police and fire vehicles blocked the area and nightclub goers could be seen leaving La Boom club around 3 a.m. Thursday.
Clarissa Ramos says there was an artist performing and they closed the whole place because of what happened.
“I didn’t hear the gunshots or anything, but they escorted the celebrity around the back and just told us we had to go, that something was up,” Ramos told our sister station NBC 4 New York.
An investigation is underway and police are offering a $ 10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of anyone involved in the shooting.
No other information was immediately available.
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