NYPD Confirms All Injured Bystanders at Empire State Shooting Were Struck by Police

Neither officer had fired guns on patrol before.

All nine people wounded during a dramatic confrontation between police and a gunman outside the Empire State Building were struck by bullets fired by the two officers, police said Saturday, citing ballistics evidence.

The veteran patrolmen who opened fire on the suit-wearing gunman, Jeffrey Johnson, had only an instant to react when he whirled and pointed a .45-caliber pistol as they approached him from behind on a busy sidewalk.

Officer Craig Matthews shot seven times. Officer Robert Sinishtaj fired nine times, police said. Neither had ever fired their weapons before on a patrol.

Comments

[Anonymous Coward]

I can't wait to hear Bloomie spin this one. Everyone below the rank of Liutenant should only be sent out with one bullet in their guns.

[cmace]

Bullet in the pocket with a string tied arounf it.

[SFC B]

I hope that some of the shots were at least thru-and-thrus. Because otherwise that is just terrible situational awareness and marksmanship.

[John Thacker]

Well, the article mentions the 16 total shots (9 + 7) by the cops. It also says "Johnson, whose body had 10 bullet wounds in the chest, arms and legs."

So that's 10 wounds from 16 shots, and 9 bystanders hits. Some of the shots that hit bystanders were bullet fragments or shots that passed through.

[MoreFreedom]

Good points John. Namely, how does 16 shots create 19 bullet wounds?

A reporter on the scene suggested that bullets ricocheted off concrete planters. Like the single bullet that struck Kennedy and Connolly.

[robc]

10 people hit in 16 shots, I dont know if that is epically good or bad shooting.