Devin Spraggins, of Queens, convicted of attempted murder of NYPD officer Brett Boller, of Hauppauge
Devin Spraggins, in court earlier this year, was convicted Tuesday of the attempted murder of a rookie NYPD police officer from Hauppauge. Credit: John Roca
A Queens jury Tuesday night convicted a 24-year-old Queens man of the attempted murder and wounding of NYPD rookie officer Brett Boller in a shooting sparked by a fight on an MTA bus last year.
The jury in Queens State Supreme Court in Kew Gardens deliberated about four hours before convicting Devin Spraggins of the attempted murder of a police officer and other related charges in the April 2023 shooting.
According to a spokesman for Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Spraggins was convicted of the attempted-murder charge, aggravated assault, two weapons charges and related offenses. Spraggins was acquitted of one count of attempted murder of Boller’s partner, said the spokesman.
Boller, of Hauppauge, was wounded in the leg in the shooting and spent months in recovery after police said the bullet smashed a bone and caused other injuries. He had graduated from the police academy in December 2022, and after the shooting, he was promoted to detective.
According to investigators, Boller and a fellow officer responded on April 5, 2023, to reports of an assault by Spraggins on a bus passenger in Queens. The two officers tried to talk with Spraggins, but he pushed one of the officers, fled the bus and ran with Boller and his partner in pursuit.
After Boller and officer Anthony Rock caught up with Spraggins, police said, he fired at Boller, who fell to the ground. Spraggins then pointed the gun at Rock and cocked it without firing, before fleeing into a garage.
Detectives and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force conducted a search with the aid of video surveillance and eventually arrested Spraggins in the Bronx the next day. Rock wasn’t injured.
New York City Police Benevolent Association president Patrick Hendry said in a statement after the verdict that the case against Spraggins couldn’t have been clearer.
"This individual was carrying a loaded gun on our street. He attacked an innocent bus passenger for no reasons. He was determined to get away with those crimes at any cost, even if it meant murdering a New York City police officer," said Hendry.
Defense attorney Michael D. Horn said, "I think juries always do the right thing, I am pleased with the verdict."
Boller, 24, was in court with his family when the verdict was read, but according to the Police Benevolent Association made no comment.
Judge Kenneth Holder set Dec. 2 as the sentencing date. Spraggins faces a possible sentence of up to life imprisonment.
Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.
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