Officer Brian Mulkeen and a team of officers were patrolling an area of the Bronx due to suspected gang activity when they spotted a suspicious person behind a building. As they approached, the subject fled on foot, and when officers caught up to him a struggle ensued. During that fight, Mulkeen was fatally shot.Image courtesy of NYPD.
NYPD Officer Brian Mulkeen was killed by friendly fire from fellow officers as he wrestled an ex-con for control of his service weapon, according to the NYPD and police sources.
“This is a tragic case of friendly fire,” Police Commissioner James O’Neill said during a press conference Monday afternoon. “It’s an absolute tragedy … caused by a convicted criminal.
“We lost another great NYPD police officer, Brian Mulkeen truly had such a long and productive career ahead of him.”
Mulkeen, 33, was shot in the head, chest and leg amid his life-or-death struggle early Sunday in the Bronx's Edenwald Houses, but it was initially unclear whether he was shot with his own service Glock, struck by rounds from other officers or both, the New York Post reports.
Mulkeen had tackled and was grappling with reputed gangbanger Antonio Lavance Williams when Williams grabbed the officer's Glock, authorities have said.
