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 August 22, 2025

NYPD detective wounded in 'friendly fire' incident during Queens carjacking

A New York City detective was shot in the leg and arm in a chaotic “friendly fire” mishap during a Queens carjacking gone wrong.

The New York Post reported that on Friday at around 8:50 a.m., an NYPD detective from the Queens North Warrants Squad was shot while confronting a 28-year-old parolee attempting to carjack a TLC driver’s Toyota Sienna on the Whitestone Expressway near 22nd Road.

This messy incident, unfolding during the Friday morning rush hour, left the detective wounded but alert, rushed to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

Just moments before, the same suspect had tried—and failed—to carjack a woman nearby. This wasn’t a master criminal at work; it was a desperate parolee with a rap sheet longer than a CVS receipt. With 21 prior arrests, including a fresh one for fare evasion the day before, this guy’s clearly no stranger to handcuffs.

Suspect’s Lengthy Criminal History

The suspect, paroled in March 2025 after an attempted robbery charge from Brooklyn in 2023, has a criminal record stretching back to 2016.

Robbery, weapons possession in Midtown, domestic violence, and even assaulting a cop—he’s racked up charges like a kid collecting Pokémon cards. Yet, somehow, he’s still on the streets, with parole set to expire in October 2025.

Thursday’s fare evasion bust led to a mere desk appearance ticket, as the suspect wasn’t wanted for other crimes at the time. He was slated to face a judge for that on September 9, 2025. One has to wonder: how many slaps on the wrist does it take before the system says “enough”?

The morning of the incident, narcotics detectives, fresh off serving a warrant, stumbled upon the suspect mid-carjacking. It’s the kind of bad luck that turns a routine day into a headline. These officers didn’t expect to play hero, but that’s the job when crime doesn’t punch a clock.

In the heat of the confrontation, shots rang out—not from the suspect, but from fellow officers. The detective caught bullets in his leg and arm, a grim reminder that even the good guys can get hurt when split-second decisions go sideways.

Friendly fire incidents sting worse because they’re self-inflicted wounds on a department already stretched thin. The suspect, meanwhile, was taken into custody, though his name remains unreleased as charges are pending.

One can only imagine the paperwork piling up at the precinct as investigators sort through this mess. NYPD crime scene techs were spotted combing the area near a damaged car, likely piecing together how this went so wrong.

The Whitestone Expressway, a lifeline for Queens commuters, turned into a spectacle of flashing lights and gridlock. Morning rush hour is brutal enough without a carjacking and a cop shooting thrown into the mix. New Yorkers, no strangers to chaos, probably just sighed and checked their traffic apps.

Questions About Parole and Policing

This parolee’s rap sheet raises eyebrows—21 arrests and still walking free? The revolving door of justice spins faster than a Manhattan cab meter.

It’s hard not to question a system that lets someone with this track record roam the streets, ready to terrorize a TLC driver or a random woman.

The detective, thankfully, is expected to recover, but the incident exposes the risks cops face daily. They’re out there serving warrants, chasing down fare evaders, and now dodging friendly fire while stopping a carjacker. It’s a thankless job, and this kind of chaos doesn’t help morale.

Progressive policies often push for leniency, arguing that people deserve second chances. But when “second” becomes “twenty-second,” you’ve got to ask: at what point does public safety take precedence? This suspect’s history screams for tougher consequences, not another court date next month.

Queens residents, already dealing with rising crime, don’t need another story like this to feel uneasy. A carjacking on a major expressway during rush hour isn’t just a crime—it’s a middle finger to the everyday folks trying to get to work. The NYPD’s stuck playing whack-a-mole with repeat offenders while the city watches.

The injured detective deserves our gratitude, not just for surviving but for being out there in the first place. Cops don’t get to pick their battles, and this one turned into a literal firefight. Here’s hoping he’s back on his feet soon, with a story to tell and maybe a few choice words for the parole board.

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