Apr. 7, 2023 By Robert Pozarycki, Dean Moses and Meaghan McGoldrick
Queens detectives are questioning a person of interest in the shooting of a rookie police officer on Wednesday afternoon.
According to published reports, the person of interest was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals on Thursday night, April 6, at his residence. A gun was also located, but it’s unclear at this point whether the weapon was used in the attack upon the rookie officer, identified as Brett Boller.
The 22-year-old Boller, who had joined the NYPD just three months earlier and is assigned to the 103rd Precinct, was shot at about 3:25 p.m. on April 5 after he and his partner responded to a disturbance that broke out on a bus near the intersection of 161st Street and 89th Avenue in Jamaica.
Chief of Detectives James Essig explained that the two officers were flagged down by an MTA officer, who informed them of an ongoing dispute over a seat on board their bus.
The officers went to board the bus and confront the shooter, who pushed the officers aside and fled northbound along 161st Street, Essig noted.
Seconds later, Essig said, one of the officers caught up with the gunman, leading to a physical struggle. The gunman then fired a shot that struck the officer in the leg.
A second police officer at the scene then returned fire, but missed. No other injuries were reported, according to Essig.
The NYPD and the Crime Stoppers tip line offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the shooter’s arrest.
Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell and NYPD officials are expected to announce further details about the case at a press conference this morning at 9:30 a.m.
This is a developing story; check with amNY.com later for further updates.
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