An experienced NYPD detective was shot during an armed standoff and police operation in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. The suspect was later killed in an exchange of gunfire with police. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch addressed the incident during a joint briefing on June 19.
According to preliminary NYPD reports, officers from the 79th Precinct responded to a 911 call reporting seven gunshots at approximately 5:45 a.m. at a two-story brownstone located at 190 Kosciuszko Street. Upon arrival, officers heard additional gunfire coming from inside the building.
When police entered the premises, they encountered an armed man. Additional specialized units, including the Emergency Service Unit (ESU), Hostage Negotiation Team, Technical Assistance Response Unit (TARU), and Strategic Response Group (SRG), were deployed to the scene. Authorities secured the area and evacuated nearby buildings for more than two hours.
The suspect’s wife and child were able to leave the building safely and informed officers that the man had a history of mental illness. However, an elderly couple living on the upper floor remained trapped inside during the standoff.
At around 8:30 a.m., the suspect began throwing heavy household items—including a microwave oven, lamps, pots, and pans—from a window toward officers positioned outside. Drone footage showed him carrying a firearm and continuing to fire shots from inside the residence.
At approximately 8:52 a.m., ESU officers entered the building and confronted the armed suspect on a stairway. Despite repeated commands to drop his weapon, the suspect allegedly refused and opened fire. During the exchange, Detective Matthew Gayle, a 15-year veteran of the ESU, was shot in the leg.
Officers returned fire, critically wounding the suspect. He was transported to Woodhull Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Authorities identified him as 48-year-old Lamin Simmons.
Police recovered two firearms from the scene: a Beretta pistol equipped with an extended magazine and a .380-caliber Jimenez Arms handgun. Investigators said approximately 20 rounds were fired during the incident.
Detective Gayle was rushed to Kings County Hospital, where doctors determined he had suffered a tibial fracture in his left leg. Officials said he is currently in stable condition.
Mayor Mamdani visited the hospital and met with the injured officer’s family. He also expressed gratitude to medical personnel and hospital staff, noting that NYPD officers risk their lives every day to protect New Yorkers and that this incident underscores those dangers.
Commissioner Tisch stated that the confrontation appeared to have stemmed from a dispute involving an elderly couple living on the second floor of the building. She also noted that the suspect had no previously documented emotionally disturbed person (EDP) history with the NYPD.
Police confirmed that the entire operation was recorded through body-worn cameras and drone footage. A full investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
