Adeed Fayaz: Off-duty Pakistani-American cop shot dead in robbery

NEW YORK: A Pakistan-American officer of the New York police, who was shot in the head Saturday while off duty has died, the city’s police commissioner said Tuesday night.

The officer, Adeed Fayaz, 26, a five-year veteran of the New York Police Department (NYPD), had been hospitalised in Brooklyn for three days since the shooting on Saturday night. He was married and the father of two children.

“Police Officer Adeed Fayaz was a father, a husband, a son, and a protector of our great city,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said. “Officer Fayaz was shot Saturday night and he tragically succumbed to his injuries today. Our department deeply mourns his passing, and his family and loved ones are in our prayers.”

A 38-year-old New York City man, Randy Jones, was arrested Monday in connection with the shooting, authorities said at a news conference.

There are about 500 police officers of Pakistani origin serving NYPD.

Fayaz had been in contact with a man selling a Honda Pilot on Facebook Marketplace for $24,000, NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said. The officer and his brother-in-law on Saturday met the man, who jokingly asked whether they were carrying a gun, to which both men responded no, Essig said.

“At this time, our perpetrator grabs (Fayaz) in a headlock, points the gun at his head, and demands the money,” Essig said.

When Fayaz said he didn’t have the money, the man pointed the gun at the brother-in-law, according to Essig.

“Officer Fayaz was able to break free, at which time the man fired, striking him in the head,” Essig said. “As (the suspect) flees, he continues to fire towards both the officer and his brother-in-law.”

The brother-in-law took a gun from Fayaz’s hip and fired at least six times, according to Essig. The assailant drove from the scene. Dashboard camera video from the brother-in-law’s vehicle helped detectives identify the car the assailant fled in, he added.

The assailant reportedly had led both the officer and his brother-in-law down an alley where the shooting took place. There were no cameras in the alley.