Shootout on New York State Thruway leaves one dead, one officer injured
A shootout with New York State Troopers left one person dead and one officer wounded on Wednesday, after authorities pulled over a vehicle believed to be implicated in a separate shooting incident from earlier the same day.
The vehicle was pulled over around 3 p.m. on the the New York State Thruway in Hillburn when two troopers noticed it matched the description of a car wanted for fleeing a drive-by shooting that occurred in Albany just two hours prior.
As State Police conducted the stop, the driver allegedly opened fire and the police shot back, fatally wounding the man, authorities said.
“During the traffic stop, the suspect and sole occupant of the vehicle opened fire on Troopers and Troopers discharged their division-issued firearms striking the subject. The subject is deceased,” officials said in a statement.
One trooper was confirmed shot in the gunfight, sustaining minor injuries, while the other remained unharmed.
The suspect’s identity has yet to be revealed to the public, but Albany police confirmed that he was the same individual wanted in connection with the drive-by shooting there. A motive for that shooting was not immediately disclosed.
The victim of the Albany shooting suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was in critical condition as of Wednesday evening, according to Police Chief Eric Hawkins.
The incident in Hillburn led to the closure of the southbound lanes of the thruway for several hours, causing a significant traffic backlog that persisted well into the night. An investigation into the shootings is ongoing.
With News Wire Services
