Two NYPD sergeants were shot while attempting to arrest a gunman on Manhattan’s Lower East Side shortly after an armed robbery at a mahjong parlor on Thursday, according to police officials.
The officers, both of whom survived the encounter, were responding to a 911 call about a man, later identified as 22-year-old Joshua Dorsett, who had robbed several women at gunpoint in the parlor, demanding their purses.Dorsett fled the scene, but officers spotted him nearby on Delancey Street just minutes after the incident.
As the officers apprehended Dorsett and tried to disarm him, Dorsett fired his weapon, hitting both sergeants with a single bullet. One officer was shot in the groin and was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he remains in stable condition for observation. The other officer, who was grazed by the bullet, is expected to be released later Thursday evening.
The officers, both of whom survived the encounter, were responding to a 911 call about a man, later identified as 22-year-old Joshua Dorsett, who had robbed several women at gunpoint in the parlor, demanding their purses.Dorsett fled the scene, but officers spotted him nearby on Delancey Street just minutes after the incident.
As the officers apprehended Dorsett and tried to disarm him, Dorsett fired his weapon, hitting both sergeants with a single bullet. One officer was shot in the groin and was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he remains in stable condition for observation. The other officer, who was grazed by the bullet, is expected to be released later Thursday evening.
Dorsett, a local gang member with a criminal history including drug charges, was apprehended at the scene. He had been on probation at the time of the robbery, having met with his parole officer earlier that day.
The incident has left the community shaken, with witnesses describing the chaos and fear as the gunfire erupted. Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD officials addressed the media, praising the bravery of the injured officers and condemning the violence.
The robbery and shooting have sparked further discussions about public safety and the challenges faced by law enforcement in the city.