"the male fired, striking him in the head."
A US Pakistani police officer was off-duty when he was fatally shot during a robbery.
Adeed Fayaz was shot in Brooklyn as he and his brother-in-law were trying to buy an SUV. There is suspicion that it was a case of a Facebook Marketplace robbery.
The 26-year-old was an officer in the New York Police Department.
NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell tweeted:
“Police Officer Adeed Fayaz was a father, a husband, a son, and a protector of our great city.
“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.”
Police arrested 38-year-old Randy Jones in connection with the shooting.
Police have recommended charges of murder and attempted robbery. Charges are pending as authorities execute two search warrants.
Adeed had been in contact with a man selling a Honda Pilot on Facebook Marketplace for $24,000.
On February 4, he and his brother-in-law met the man who jokingly asked whether they were carrying a gun. Both men said they weren’t.
Suddenly, the man grabbed Adeed and brandished a gun.
NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said:
“At this time, our perpetrator grabs (Fayaz) in a headlock, points the gun at his head, and demands the money.”
When Adeed said he did not have the money, the man pointed the gun at the brother-in-law.
Essig said: “Officer Fayaz was able to break free, at which time the male fired, striking him in the head.
“As (the suspect) flees, he continues to fire towards both the officer and his brother-in-law.”
According to Essig, the brother-in-law took a gun from Fayaz’s hip and fired at least six times.
The assailant drove from the scene. Dashcam footage from the brother-in-law’s vehicle helped detectives identify the car the assailant fled in.
The assailant allegedly had led both the officer and his brother-in-law down an alley where the shooting took place.
Randy Jones was arrested at a motel in Nanuet, a hamlet north of New York City.
A woman who was in the motel room was taken into custody and questioned but she is not being charged at this time.
Essig said the authorities handcuffed the man using Adeed’s cuffs. He said:
“We wanted him to know who, what he did to that officer. And I think it sends a powerful message.”
Essig said the authorities are investigating whether Jones is connected to other reported Facebook Marketplace robberies, including one that happened in early January 2023 “right down the block”.
Sewell said Adeed Fayaz was married with two young children.
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