NEW YORK (AP) ‐ A New York City police officer grappling with an armed man died early Sunday in the Bronx after being shot three times, possibly with his own gun.The 27-year-old suspect also died after five officers fired at him, police officials said. He has not been publicly identified yet.
The NYPD identified the slain officer as 33-year-old Brian Mulkeen.
"We lost a hero this evening," Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference outside Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx.
Mulkeen was patrolling the streets around a city apartment complex at around 12:30 a.m. as part of a unit investigating potential gang activity, Chief of Department Terence Monahan said.
Mulkeen and his partner tried to apprehend a man who had fled questioning, and a struggle on the ground ensued, Monahan said.