Fordham, Bronx (WABC) -- A 20-year-old man was charged on Monday night following a confrontation involving a stolen SUV that injured several New York Police Department officers in the Bronx. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. Sunday evening when police received an alert from a license plate reader indicating that a silver Kia Sportage with New Jersey plates had entered East Fordham Road.
According to Assistant Chief Aneudy Castillo of NYPD, officers tracked down and surrounded the SUV near 82 East Fordham Road after it pulled over in response to their pursuit. When ordered by police to exit the vehicle, one occupant refused and instead moved the car back and forth, striking a sergeant who was standing outside the SUV and hitting several other officers during the encounter.
An officer then climbed onto the hood of the vehicle and fired a single shot at the 18-year-old driver, who sustained an injury in his arm. The injured suspect is currently recovering at St. Barnabas Hospital in stable condition and remains in police custody. Police are still searching for a third individual who reportedly exited the SUV before the confrontation escalated.
All officers involved were transported to local hospitals but have since been released from medical care, although one sergeant remained hospitalized overnight for observation due to injuries sustained during the incident. The NYPD confirmed that body-worn camera footage of the event is being reviewed by their Force Investigation Division as part of an ongoing investigation into Sunday's encounter.
The 20-year-old suspect charged in connection with this case was previously arrested earlier this year on February 15th for a shooting within the same precinct and faces multiple felony charges from that incident. Additional charges are now pending due to his involvement in Sunday’s confrontation involving the stolen vehicle.
This latest development underscores ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement agencies as they work to maintain public safety amidst incidents of violence against officers.