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NYPD: Officer shot was struck by suspect’s bullet

Published  October 24, 2019 3:52pm EDT
Harlem
FOX 5 NY

NYPD: Officer was shot by bullet fired by suspect, not friendly fire

The NYPD released surveillance video of 29-year-old Victor Hernandez allegedly shooting Officer Christopher Wintermute in a Harlem confrontation that ended with Hernandez shot and killed.

NEW YORK - The NYPD officer whose life was saved by his bullet-resistant vest after a shootout with a suspect inside a Harlem apartment building was struck by a bullet fired by the suspect and not friendly fire, authorities said Thursday.

At a press conference on Thursday, police released dramatic surveillance video of the incident, showing Officer Christopher Wintermute being struck during a confrontation with the apparently emotionally disturbed suspect early Wednesday. Wintermute was knocked down or fell to the floor when he was hit in the chest, but managed to get up and continued to struggle with the suspect. 

Other officers fired at the suspect, who was struck and later pronounced dead at Harlem Hospital. 

Wintermute was treated at a hospital and released the same day.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.