A robbery suspect in New York City came under a hail of police gunfire during a search, a newly released police bodycam video showed.
Daniel Rivera, 39, was seen lying on the ground in a wooded park in the Bronx near Yankee Stadium as New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers combed the park in search of him, the video showed.
“I see something over there,” one of the officers, Gustavo Ochoa, was heard saying. “Let me see your hands! Let me see your f—ing hands! Let me see your hands!” he ordered on sighting Rivera.
“Watch out,” Officer Ochoa said to his colleagues. A shot rang out, followed by a fusillade of shots.
The shootings occurred at about 12:11 a.m. on Dec. 4, 2022, the NYPD said in the video. The video itself was released Nov. 24, 2023.
Officer Yorky Burgos was leading the search at about 12:02 a.m. for a stolen vehicle that had previously escaped the police, the NYPD said in the video. Officer Burgos spotted the vehicle again but it fled yet again and then crashed. The occupants fled on foot, sparking the police search, the NYPD said.
Officer Burgos reportedly soon encountered Rivera on a footbridge. Rivera allegedly fired at Officer Burgos, who then fired back, and Rivera fled, the NYPD said. Additional officers arrived in response to the gunfire exchange. The officers crossed the footbridge into Serbia Park and encountered Rivera lying on the ground in a wooded area after searching for a few minutes. Rivera rose, allegedly armed, and Burgos, Ochoa and other officers opened fire on him, firing 30 shots in total, per the NYPD. (RELATED: Video Shows Robbery Suspect Charging At Cop With Two Knives Raised Before Being Shot)
The officers recovered two guns allegedly belonging to Rivera from the scene, the video showed. “Mr. Rivera discharged at least two shots from his firearm,” the NYPD said in part, referring to Rivera’s initial encounter with Burgos.
Rivera, a deli worker, musician, father-of-one, and ex-convict, was critically injured and died in the hospital the next day, the New York Daily News reported.
The police shootings are under investigation, the NYPD said.