BROOKLYN, NY – Two officers from the New York Police Department (NYPD) were injured in a shooting incident in Brooklyn, as they attempted to apprehend a suspect with a history of violent crimes. The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Melvin Butler, allegedly seized a firearm from one of the officers and shot at them during an arrest attempt related to an assault on his mother.
The incident occurred in a Brownsville apartment building around 3:30 p.m., where one officer was hit in the leg and another in the hand. The altercation concluded when Butler was shot by one of the officers. The NYPD had responded to a distress call from Butler’s mother, who reported an assault taking place inside her Bergen Street apartment.
Butler, who resisted arrest, engaged in a physical struggle with the officers, managing to disarm one of them and open fire. The officers returned fire, injuring Butler multiple times.
The injured officers were transported to New York City Health + Hospitals Kings County for treatment. According to Police Commissioner Edward Caban, both officers are expected to fully recover. Butler, meanwhile, is in critical but stable condition.
Caban emphasized the inherent risks in seemingly routine patrol jobs, stating, “Our officers are lucky to be alive at this hour.” He also highlighted Butler’s criminal history, including a 15-year prison term for attempted murder in 2004 and multiple arrests for resisting arrest and domestic violence.
Mayor Eric Adams, a former NYPD captain, praised the department’s response to the situation, stating, “We had a very violent and dangerous person that has a long record of violence attempted to harm our police officers, but they responded accordingly.”
Patrick Hendry, the president of the Police Benevolent Association, expressed gratitude for the officers’ survival while questioning the escalating crime rates in New York City.