Kerry Burke, Thomas Tracy, Rocco Parascandola, Graham Rayman and Trevor Boyer
New York Daily News
NEW YORK — A motorist wanted on three open warrants was shot dead by an NYPD sergeant in a struggle at a traffic stop, police said Thursday.
The man, identified by family as Allan Feliz, 31, was pulled over on Bainbridge Ave. near E. 211th St. in Bedford Park about 3 p.m.
When cops stopped him, Feliz got out of his SUV, struggled with two officers, and then got back into the driver’s seat, police said.
The struggle continued. “They were trying to pull the guy out,” said a witness. The sergeant tried to Taser the motorist into submission, said police and witnesses.
Feliz lurched the car forward — and then put it in reverse as the officers flanked both of the vehicle’s front-seat doors, including the partially-open driver’s side door, said NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan.
“When the car was put into reverse, the officer on the driver’s side had to release his grip on the male, and jump out of the way to avoid getting hit by the car,” said Monahan.
A male and a female officer on the driver’s side both dart out of the way as the car zooms backward, video obtained by News 12 shows.
https://www.facebook.com/News12BX/videos/395130348063870/
Feliz tried to fend off the officers. “He was fighting with him [one of the officers], swinging at the cops,” said the witness. “And then there was a shot fired.”
Monahan said the struggle lasted about a minute and a half before the sergeant fired his gun.
“It was after the car went into reverse that the sergeant fired one round from his service weapon, striking the male in the chest,” Monahan said.
A video acquired by the Daily News shows cops and FDNY medics rushing Feliz down the street on a gurney.
“They were running up the street with him on a stretcher taking him directly to the ER. They were pumping his chest all the way. He wasn’t responding. He looked like he died,” said a woman at the scene.
Feliz was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Officers found Feliz possessed “a substantial amount” of illegal drugs, which appeared to be cocaine, heroin, and molly (MDMA), Monahan said.
“He had a ton of narcotics on him and a lot of cash. We’re still trying to figure out how much. We still have to search the vehicle,” a police source told The News.
Feliz was wanted on three warrants for violations, including one for littering, said Monahan.
By early evening, the SUV, which has out-of-state plates, was in the middle of the intersection with its wipers going.
Thursday’s gunfire was the third police-involved shooting this week.