The police chief in Albany, New York, says an officer was “ambushed” by a driver who shot him in the leg as he approached a vehicle after an attempted traffic stop and fired back, killing the man.
ALBANY, N.Y. — A police officer in Albany, New York, was ambushed by a driver early Wednesday morning after an attempted traffic stop and shot in the leg before returning fire, killing the man, the city’s police chief said.
The officer was admitted to Albany Medical Center and was alert and conscious, Police Chief Eric Hawkins said at a news conference outside the hospital.
“We have just experienced one of an officer’s worst nightmares, and that is being ambushed while carrying out a routine part of his duties,” he said.
The officer had spotted a speeding vehicle around 12:30 p.m. and there was a brief pursuit, but the vehicle did not stop and he pulled over, Hawkins said. A short time later, the officer saw the vehicle parked along the road.
The officer approached the vehicle, Hawkins said. He was about 5 feet away when the man, who was sitting out of the car, “comes forward and immediately fires shots at the officer, striking the officer,” Hawkins said.
The officer immediately returned fire, Hawkins said. The names of the officer and the man have not been released.
Hawkins said he looked at footage from the officer’s body-worn camera. “There’s no other way to describe this than an ambush,” he said. “This officer did exactly what he had to do.”
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said at the news conference that there are indications that the man is “someone with a troubled history, not necessarily a criminal past.”
She said she was grateful to be able to talk to the officer.
“This was not what he expected to happen on his watch today,” she said.