Police fatally shoot man in Massapequa Park, officers injured after chase, commissioner says
After a pursuit that started in Queens, police shot a driver in Massapequa Park at Hicksville Road and Sunrise Highway late Friday night. Credit: Paul Mazza
The police shot and killed a man in Massapequa Park after a chase that began Friday night in Queens, according to the Nassau County Police Department.
Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said that in fleeing a traffic stop by the NYPD around 11 p.m., the man later struck or almost struck civilian and police cars as well as several people, leaving eight hospitalized, including five Nassau officers, two NYPD officers and one civilian. All those hospitalized had minor injuries, according to police spokesman Det. Lt. Scott Skrynecki.
"It was reckless. He jumped onto oncoming traffic on Sunrise Highway. He's ramming police cars. He's ramming civilian cars, and he lost control of his own vehicle," Ryder said at a news conference.
The initial stop, chase and shooting all occurred within about a half hour, according to a timeline provided by Ryder.
Ryder said "officers attempted to get that individual out of the car, a shooting occurred and the individual has died."
His name wasn’t disclosed, pending notification of his family, Ryder said, nor were the names of the officers involved.
Skrynecki said how many shots or officers were involved in the shooting is under investigation.
The basis for the initial stop in Queens wasn’t disclosed.Ryder said the state attorney general’s office — which under state law investigates deaths caused by police officers — had been notified.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
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