A New York City police officer discharged his weapon at a known criminal after witnessing the suspect fire multiple shots at a man seated outside a Harlem convenience store Friday night, authorities reported.
The suspect, Randy Negron, who is currently on parole for a previous attempted murder conviction, allegedly initiated a surprise attack on a 22-year-old man in front of a store on West 125th Street near Amsterdam Avenue around 6:20 p.m., according to police statements.
During the incident, two plainclothes NYPD officers were passing by and observed the violent scene unfold.
In response, the officers quickly exited their vehicle, with one officer pursuing Negron on foot, shared NYPD Assistant Chief Aaron Edwards during a press briefing held Friday evening.
Simultaneously, a second shooter emerged in the street, firing shots at the escaping Negron.
The officer involved also fired his weapon, as confirmed by Edwards.
Negron was shot once, but it wasn’t immediately clear if he was struck by police or the second gunman.
The second gunman fled and remained on the loose Friday night.
A Harlem resident who identified himself as Julian was shopping when he said he heard shots ring out.
“I wasn’t expecting that to happen. I never seen that before,” he said.
“It’s not usually like that. It’s happened before, like fighting, but with the police chasing somebody and shooting. That’s like the movies.”
Negron and his alleged victim, who was shot multiple times, were taken to St. Luke’s Hospital, where the former was listed in stable condition and the latter in serious, but stable condition.
No cops were injured during the harrowing ordeal.
Charges connected to the shooting were pending Friday night.
Police said Negron was convicted of attempted murder for a June 2015 shooting in the same neighborhood in which he took aim at several people.
Negron was freed from prison in June 2025 and is on parole until August 2029, Edwards said.
He has 11 prior arrests, including for several other violent felonies.
The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division is probing the shooting.
