A dramatic car chase in Brooklyn, New York, ended in a police shootout on December 6, leaving a 21-year-old man dead, a woman injured, and a 3-year-old girl unharmed.
According to New York Police Department (NYPD) officials, officers had been pursuing a car after gunshot detection alerted them to a possible shooting in the area.
The chase began when police spotted the car with an out-of-state license plate, which was driving erratically through the Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy neighborhoods.
The car eventually became stuck in traffic, and the man in the passenger seat attempted to exit while pointing a gun at officers, prompting a shootout. Officers fired 18 or 19 shots, according to NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey.
As the woman, believed to be the baby’s mother, tried to flee on foot, officers noticed the child in the backseat.
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A frantic officer yelled “Baby, baby!” to stop the gunfire, and another officer safely removed the child from the vehicle.
The woman, who had been shot twice in the thigh, and the baby were taken to the hospital, while the man died at the scene after CPR attempts were unsuccessful.
The suspect, who had been wanted for a homicide case, had a semi-automatic weapon with a 30-round capacity, although it is unclear whether he fired.
The incident highlights the high-stakes nature of police pursuits and shootouts, particularly with a child caught in the middle of a dangerous situation.
The mother has not been charged, but she faces several traffic violations, including having the child in the backseat without a car seat.