Sept. 21 (UPI) — A police chase that started in Queens ended after a fatal shooting on Long Island, four crashes and eight people, including police officers, hospitalized.
Five Nassau County police officers, two New York Police Department officers and a civilian were hurt during the incident, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said.
The man “tried to ram” two NYPD officers as he fled during the pursuit, Ryder said at a news conference Saturday.
Around 11 p.m. Friday, the driver was first chased by NYPD officers in Queens, police said. The driver fled into Nassau County, and police first tried to stop him near Merrick Avenue and Sunrise Highway,
The driver then slammed into two police cars, Ryder said.
“NYPD put the notification over the air that they were heading towards Nassau County,” Ryder said. “We engaged with that vehicle somewhere in the area of Merrick on Sunrise Highway. At that time, the officers had boxed in the individual. The individual decided he was not going to stop. He ran through, took off two of our police cars, two of our officers they attempted to run over. They dove out of the way and that vehicle took off again.”.
The driver then crashed into a third police car before driving the wrong way on Sunrise Highway and striking a fourth car, sending a civilian to the hospital, Ryder said.
Finally, the driver lost control of the vehicle near Hicksville Road and Sunrise Highway, Ryder said.
“Officers got out of the car to take control and arrest the individual, that individual did not comply, there was a shooting that occurred and that individual died,” Ryder said.
Sal Ienna, a resident of Massapequa Park, told WABC he was outside his home talking to officers when the incident happened.
“Five minutes later we hear like 10, 12 gunshots, rapid fire, one after the other,” he said.