BRONX, NY — An NYPD sergeant and a civilian driver were hospitalized after a stolen-vehicle investigation in Fordham Manor turned violent on June 21. Police said the sergeant was struck by the Kia and another officer shot the driver during the confrontation on East Fordham Road.
Authorities later said the driver and another person in the vehicle were taken into custody, and two arrests followed in the days after the incident. Both injured men were reported in stable condition.
What led police to the stolen vehicle on East Fordham Road?
Police said the case began with a license plate reader alert around 5:35 p.m. for a silver Kia Sportage with New Jersey plates that had been reported stolen the day before in The Bronx. The vehicle was first tracked as it moved through Washington Heights, then across the University Heights Bridge and into the Bronx.
NYPD Aviation and community response units followed the car as it traveled east on West Fordham Road. The Kia later stopped near 380-382 East Fordham Road, where six unmarked police vehicles boxed it in.
How did the confrontation unfold at the scene?
Police said officers repeatedly ordered the driver and passenger to get out. Instead, the driver put the Kia in reverse, hit one unmarked police vehicle, and struck several officers. He then drove forward and turned toward the sergeant, knocking him to the ground.
Castillo said one officer jumped onto a parked vehicle to avoid being hit. Another officer, standing near that vehicle, fired at the driver as the Kia tried to move again. Police said the sergeant fell backward and hit his head on the street.
Who was arrested and what charges were announced?
On June 23, police said Angel Robles, 20, of Highbridge was arrested in the 46th Precinct and charged with criminal possession of a weapon for a loaded gun. The same day, police said Jayden Mendoza, 18, of Castle Hill was arrested and charged with attempted murder.
A Bronx District Attorney’s office representative later said Mendoza allegedly confronted a friend over comments made to his girlfriend and fired one shot that missed. Police also said Mendoza had been arrested in February in the same precinct after a separate shooting-related case and later posted bail.
What remains under investigation after the Bronx shooting?
Police said body-worn camera footage captured the encounter and that the Force Investigations Division is reviewing it. Officials said several details remain under investigation, including how many officers were directly involved, whether weapons were in the car, and exactly how many times the driver was struck.
Residents were asked to avoid East Fordham Road between Marion Avenue and Webster Avenue while the scene was processed. Police also asked anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS, or in Spanish at 1-888-57-PISTA.
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