A police chase began in Queens and ended with a fatal shooting on Long Island, four wrecks, and eight people hospitalized, including police officers.
According to Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, the incident injured five Nassau County police officers, two New York Police Department officers, and a citizen.
According to Ryder, the suspect “tried to ram” two NYPD officers as he fled during the pursuit.
Authorities reported that NYPD officers in Queens pursued the driver around 11 p.m. Friday. The motorist escaped into Nassau County, where police initially attempted to stop him at Merrick Avenue and Sunrise Highway.
Ryder said the motorist then slammed into two police cars.
“NYPD put the notification over the air that they were heading towards Nassau County,” Ryder told me. “We collided with that vehicle somewhere on Sunrise Highway around Merrick. At that moment, the officers had successfully surrounded the individual. The individual decided he would not stop. He rushed through, stealing two of our police cars and attempting to drive over two of our officers. They dove out of the way, and the truck started off again.
According to Ryder, the motorist then drove into a third police cruiser before going the opposite way on Sunrise Highway and colliding with a fourth automobile, sending a civilian to the hospital.
Finally, Ryder reported that the driver lost control of the car around Hicksville Road and Sunrise Highway.
“Officers got out of the car to take control and arrest the individual, but that individual did not comply; there was a shooting that occurred, and that individual died,” according to Ryder.
Sal Ienna, a Massapequa Park resident, told WABC that he was outside his home conversing with authorities when the incident occurred.
“Five minutes later we hear like 10, 12 gunshots, rapid fire, one after the other,” he told me.
