LI Homicide Suspect Fires At Detectives, Striking Girl Before Killing Himself: Police

RIDGE, NY — A suspect who opened fire on homicide detectives hit a 3-year-old girl before turning the gun on himself on Tuesday night in Ridge, Suffolk police said.

Following up on a murder that took place in Central Islip on June 19, homicide detectives involved in the investigation arrived at Ticonderoga Court, at around 8:30 p.m., police said, adding that while interviewing a friend of the suspect, who lived at the home, detectives learned that he was inside.

Detectives directed the friend, as well as children, who were also in the home, out of the home, police said.

It was then that the suspect, Gary Jones, 38, of North Amityville, emerged from a room inside the house, armed with a handgun, and fired numerous shots at the detectives, who backed out of the home, according to police.

One of the shots the suspect fired went through a wall, striking a girl in the next apartment and she was rushed to a local hospital with a gunshot wound, police said.

She underwent surgery and is currently in stable condition, according to police.

Detectives and police officers surrounded the house and called for hostage negotiators and officers from the Emergency Services Unit who went inside with a robot and found Jones dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Officers did not return fire in the initial confrontation, according to police.

The investigation is continuing.

Detectives are asking anyone with information related to this incident to call the Homicide Squad at 631- 852-6392.