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Who is Robert Carroll? NYPD officer shot by 18-year-old in Brooklyn; Mamdani breaks silence
Detective Robert Carroll was struck in the back by a bullet, but his ballistic vest saved his life. Zohran Mamdani has spoken out about the shooting.
An NYPD officer was shot in Brooklyn when an 18-year-old suspect opened fire. Detective Robert Carroll was struck in the back by a bullet, but his ballistic vest prevented serious injury, officials said.
"His ballistic vest performed exactly as it was designed, and today that vest saved his life," said Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, per ABC7.
The suspect is in custody.
Who is Robert Carroll?
Carroll is a detective with the Sex Offender Monitoring Unit. He was rushed to Kings County Hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, Fox News reported. He is less than two weeks from retirement, sources said, per the New York Post.
Another officer suffered contusions to the face and shoulder during the incident.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in an X post that he visited Carroll at the hospital.
“Early this morning in Crown Heights, Detective Robert Carroll was shot in the line of duty. I visited Detective Carroll at the hospital today, and I’m grateful his bulletproof vest protected him from more serious injury. I’m keeping him and his loved ones in my thoughts as he recovers,” Mamdani wrote.
“I’m thankful to Detective Carroll and every member of the NYPD working to keep New Yorkers safe through a busy holiday weekend,” he added. “Every New Yorker deserves to come home safely at the end of the day. My administration will continue using every tool available to stop the scourge of gun violence and get illegal guns off our streets.”
The shooting
Surveillance video captured the moment a suspect fired at least one shot toward a passing SUV. The car, a Kia Sorento, sustained damage to the front and rear windshields, and a rear passenger-side window too, according to ABC7.
Authorities said that several on-duty NYPD officers were inside the unmarked SUV at approximately 4:10 am Sunday in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood. Tisch said that when the suspect, 18, approached the vehicle, officers got out of the SUV in an attempt to speak with him. Three officers later opened fire, but it remains unclear what circumstances led to the officers discharging their weapons.
"We do not have body-worn camera video of the actual shooting incident, presumably because it happened so quickly and unexpectedly," Tisch said.
Officers activated their body cameras only after the shooting began, police said. The suspect fled on foot and was later caught several blocks away. Authorities said officers had to use a Taser during the arrest.
