On Saturday, a police officer, who was attempting to execute a warrant for Bronx resident Alberto Colon, accidentally shot Colon's 76-year-old father. Jose Colon, who was shot in the stomach, is in stable condition at Jacobi Medical Center and was reportedly visited by Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. But why did Officer Andrew McCormack—whose own father was a NYPD officer shot in the line of duty—accidentally discharge his gun? Well, it turns out he was actually trying to get his flashlight.
McCormack, an Emergency Services Unit officer, and other cops were conducting a drug raid on the Soundview apartment early Saturday morning. Since it was dark, McCormack was allegedly reaching for his flashlight which was attached to his gun; a source tells the Post, "He went to hit the button to put the flashlight on," but the gun fired instead. Jose Colon once worked for State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. (D), and Diaz said, "The Police Department admitted guilt," claiming it was "the first time ever [the NYPD] said, 'We were wrong.'" Alberto Colon was charged with drug possession (cops found him with heroin).
The 37-year-old officer was placed under administrative duty as the NYPD investigates. His father, ESU officer Joseph McCormack, died at 40 when a suspect fired a gun and a bullet ricocheted and managed to enter a gap in his bulletproof vest. Joseph McCormack's widow, who unsuccessfully sued the NYPD and the vest's maker, told the NY Times, "Never did I think another issue like this would arise."
