A high-ranking NYPD officer, while off duty, reportedly discharged a firearm unintentionally during a dispute involving his daughter’s boyfriend in Rockland County on Sunday, as per law enforcement sources.
Assistant Chief Benjamin Gurley, who is responsible for overseeing the Bronx North command, became embroiled in a physical conflict with a man accused of harassing his daughter in Haverstraw, New York, late on Sunday night, sources informed The Post.
The individual in question is allegedly in a relationship with Gurley’s daughter, according to the sources.
Amidst the intense confrontation, it is alleged that the police chief accidentally fired a shot.
Fortunately, no one was hit by the bullet, though Gurley did sustain an arm injury during the altercation and is expected to wear a sling as he recovers, according to the sources.
The Haverstraw Police Department has taken charge of the investigation into the incident, while the NYPD’s Force Investigation Division and Internal Affairs Bureau are conducting their own separate inquiries.
Sources told the New York Daily News that Gurley’s duty status has not been impacted by the accidental gunfire.
Gurley joined the NYPD in 2000. He was promoted to deputy chief during his career and eventually to assistant chief in 2023, according to his LinkedIn.
In February, the senior cop told The Post that getting promoted within the department was not an easy task.
“If you were to put in hard work and see people pass you…you would kind of get discouraged and may not want to work as hard,” he said. “That has leveled off a lot over the past couple of years.”
The father of three is a first-generation cop born and raised in the Bronx.
Haverstraw is just 30 miles north of the Bronx.
