'Career Criminal' Shoots Cop In Manhattan, NYPD Commissioner Says

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — A cop was shot by a man in the Lower East Side early on Tuesday morning, and at a press conference later in the day, NYPD's Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the district attorney was to blame, in part, for letting 35-year-old Edwin Rivera back out on the streets after a recent arrest.

"[Rivera] is a career criminal, a convicted felon with multiple priors for gun possession and narcotics. He has been out on parole four times, and he was actually out on parole today," Tisch said.

In response to Tisch, a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told Patch that adding the charge of criminal possession of stolen property would not have made it a felony case and that the November case was not bail-eligible, and Rivera would have been released either way.

"Today’s shooting is another sobering reminder of how members of the NYPD put themselves in danger to keep us all safe. I am grateful that this detective is expected to make a full recovery and thank him for his continued service to our city," Bragg told Patch.

The chaotic scene started at 5:09 a.m. on Tuesday when police were executing a search warrant at the Vladeck Houses at 384 Madison St. after receiving a tip about guns in the apartment, authorities said.

A man from behind the door of the apartment fired around five and six shots at the officers, hitting one cop's shield, before barricading himself inside the apartment with a couch in front of the door, Tisch said.

At that point, the cops did not return fire and repositioned themselves in the hallway, while the NYPD hostage negotiation team talked with the perpetrator over the phone in an attempt to de-escalate the situation, Tisch said.

Then, the perpetrator cut off communication with the hostage negotiation team and the officers in the hallway began to move the couch in front of the door when the perpetrator opened fire again, firing three shots and hitting a cop in the upper arm around 8:18 a.m., Tisch said.

Then, the other cops shot back at the perpetrator, hitting him, Tisch said.

The officer who was shot was taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in stable condition, and the suspect was also taken to the hospital and is not likely to die from his injuries, Tisch said.

"He was previously arrested on November 6, 2024, for criminal possession of stolen property and resisting arrest. The Manhattan DA only charged him with resisting arrest, and so sadly and predictably, and although he was on active parole, he was released the very next day, so the real question here is this: Why was this individual out of jail and in a position to shoot our officers? How is the system set up to allow one person to commit multiple violent offenses while out on parole with no consequences? I ask our elected officials up in Albany, our DAs and our judges: What are you doing here?"

Watch the press conference here.

This is a developing story and may be updated. For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.

The date and time of the incident have been updated. The article has been updated to include a statement from District Attorney Alvin Bragg.