Police officers were wounded in separate shooting incidents Tuesday in New York City and Louisville, Kentucky, as law enforcement confronted armed suspects in both cities.
In Queens, New York, police fatally shot a suspect who wounded an officer during a confrontation related to armed robbery investigations. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny identified the deceased suspect as Gary Worthy, 57, who was being sought in connection with two business robberies.
The incident unfolded in Jamaica, Queens, when officers attempted to stop Worthy, who fled and fired at police, striking an officer in the thigh. Police returned fire, killing Worthy. A 26-year-old female bystander was also wounded in the leg during the exchange, though authorities expect her to recover.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed frustration with the criminal justice system, noting that Worthy had been on lifetime parole for firearms possession and had been recently arrested for narcotics possession and resisting arrest before being released. Worthy was also wanted for three additional gunpoint robberies earlier this year.
“We are grateful tonight but we are also angry, we’re angry because we have witnessed in two days a criminal justice system that is failing New Yorkers and the good people of this city,” Adams said.
In Louisville, a separate incident resulted in two officers and a suspect being shot during a struggle over a firearm. The confrontation occurred around 8 p.m. in the Smoketown neighborhood after officers stopped a reportedly stolen vehicle, according to Deputy Police Chief Emily McKinley.
One Louisville officer suffered a leg wound while another was shot in the hand. Both were hospitalized in stable condition at the University of Louisville Hospital. The suspect, who was taken to a different hospital, was also listed in stable condition.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg visited the wounded officers, reporting via social media that they were “in good spirits and on the road to recovery.” Police officials assured the public that all suspects were in custody and there was no ongoing threat to public safety.
