New York officers shot in ‘cowardly ambush.’ 29-year veteran of the force is killed

By Liam Reilly and Kristina Sgueglia, CNN

Two Rochester, New York, police officers were shot in a “cowardly ambush” late Thursday, a 29-year veteran fatally, the chief said.

Both were in plainclothes, according to the Democrat & Chronicle, when at least one male approached and opened fire, CNN affiliate WHAM said.

Officer Tony Mazurkiewicz was shot once in the upper body and taken to a hospital where he died, Chief David Smith said Friday in a press conference.

Officer Sino Seng was shot at least once in the lower body and taken to a separate hospital where he was treated and released, Smith said.

Smith said a female bystander was also shot. Her injuries were not life threatening.

The “full force of the region’s law enforcement,” including federal, state and local police, as well as US Marshals, responded, Smith said.

“This same full force is being utilized to bring whoever is responsible for this heinous act to justice,” he said.

Mayor Malik Evans said, “Tony Mazurkiewicz could have said, ‘Hey, I’ve got 20 years in, I’m out of here, it’s getting more violent, it’s getting more brazen, the rhetoric is hotter.’ But he chose to still go on the streets because he didn’t want folks in our neighborhoods to be hostage, to be held hostage, to the very cowards that are wreaking havoc on our community.”

The shooting came hours after Evans declared a Gun Violence State of Emergency in response to a recent surge in shootings.

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