An NYPD detective was wounded after being shot in his bulletproof vest during a confrontation with an 18-year-old gunman in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, early Sunday morning, police officials said. Detective Robert Karroll, who has served with the department for 20 years, was shot near the intersection of Nostrand Avenue and St. John’s Place at approximately 4:10 a.m. Karroll, assigned to the NYPD Sex Offender Monitoring Unit, and fellow officers were on a Fourth of July detail targeting crew violence in the area when the shooting occurred.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch reported that the bulletproof vest worn by Karroll worked as intended, preventing serious injury. Karroll was struck in the back of his vest and was taken to Kings County Hospital along with a second officer, who sustained bruising to her face and shoulder. Both officers are expected to recover. The incident was not captured on body-worn cameras, and officials have been reviewing surveillance footage. The gunman was seen on security video shortly before the shooting carrying a firearm.

Authorities said three officers fired their weapons during the confrontation but did not hit the suspect. Officers pursued and subdued the teenager near Rogers Avenue and Union Street using a Taser. Police recovered a 9mm handgun from the suspect, who is now in custody pending charges.

Mayor Mamdani expressed relief that the incident did not result in more serious harm and praised Karroll’s dedication, noting the detective is a husband and father of three. She acknowledged the extended shifts many officers had worked during the holiday weekend to maintain public safety.

The shooting took place amid a broader wave of gun violence across the city Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Law enforcement officials reported multiple incidents, including several other shootings and violent attacks that led to hospitalizations but no fatalities. These occurrences follow an announcement earlier in the week that New York City recorded historic lows in shootings and murders during the first half of 2026.

Commissioner Tisch underscored the contrast between the declining overall gun violence statistics and the ongoing challenges police face in addressing individual cases such as the Crown Heights shooting. Detectives’ Endowment Association President Scott Munro called for greater respect for law enforcement officers, highlighting the risks they face while performing their duties.

The community response to the shooting included eyewitness accounts of the gunman fleeing the scene and police efforts to apprehend him. Some local residents expressed confusion over the motive, noting recent unrelated incidents of violence in the neighborhood. Investigations into the full circumstances of the shooting remain ongoing, with authorities continuing to piece together details from available evidence.