A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was recovering in the hospital Sunday after being shot in what police said was an attempted robbery late Saturday night in Upper Manhattan.
Police said the 42-year-old officer was off duty and sitting with a friend on the rocks along the Hudson River in Riverside Park around 11:53 p.m., when two men on a moped rode up. One of them got off, approached from behind and pulled a gun.
The officer, realizing he was at risk of being robbed, drew his service weapon, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a press conference Sunday.
Tisch said security camera footage, shared on social media by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, shows the suspect firing first, striking the officer in the face and forearm.
The officer returned fire. The wounded suspect limped back to the moped, and both men fled, authorities said.
“At this time, we have no indication that the officer was targeted for his employment,” Tisch said.
Authorities said the victim’s companion called 911.
Customs and Border Protection Director Frank Russo said NYPD officers responded quickly because they were already nearby, investigating a separate robbery about five minutes earlier involving two men on a scooter who allegedly stole a woman’s phone.
“Let’s make something incredibly clear today. Our officer is a hero,” Russo said. “He did exactly what we ask of all of our officers under the circumstances. He executed our mission, which is to protect the country, and he did it by stopping a threat.”
Russo said the officer remained in stable condition on Sunday and was communicating by hand gestures.
Officials said police were investigating a 21-year-old man in connection with both incidents. Tisch said a man walked into BronxCare Hospital around 12:18 a.m. with gunshot wounds to the groin and leg, with injuries consistent with what was captured on surveillance video. He was later transferred to Lincoln Hospital, where he underwent surgery, Tisch said.
Authorities said the man entered the country illegally through Arizona in 2023 and has two prior arrests for domestic violence in New York. He also has an active warrant for failing to appear in court for one of those cases.
He is wanted for a 2024 robbery and a 2025 stabbing, both in the Bronx, and has an outstanding warrant from Massachusetts for a pawn shop robbery involving stolen firearms, according to authorities.
As of Sunday afternoon, the man was in NYPD custody at Lincoln Hospital and was expected to be arrested later in the day, authorities said. Police were still searching for his accomplice as of Sunday evening, Tisch said.
Mayor Eric Adams praised the officer’s response and said his actions may have prevented further violence. The mayor also said President Donald Trump’s “border czar,” Tom Homan, was on his way to the city to visit the officer.
“We expect our city and state and federal law enforcement officers to always keep an eye out for trouble, both on and off duty, and that’s what we see in this incident,” Adams said.
This story is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement and is subject to change.
