By Ilana Siyance
On Sunday February 9th, President Donald J. Trump took to Twitter to slam NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo for “weak leadership” after a devastating weekend with two NYPD police officers shot.
“I grew up in New York City and, over many years, got to watch how GREAT NYC’s ‘Finest’ are. Now, because of weak leadership at Governor & Mayor, stand away (water thrown at them) regulations, and lack of support, our wonderful NYC police are under assault,” Trump Twitted on Sunday. “Stop this now!”
President Trump’s comment came hours after a gunman stormed into the 41st Precinct in the Bronx and opened fire, shooting wildly. As per the NY Post, surveillance camera caught the perpetrator on video at about 8 am on Sunday, shooting multiple rounds just a few feet from a police officer’s desk. Another officer entered the scene drawing his gun, and leading the assailant to take cover, slide his gun away and surrender. In only a minute’s time, over a dozen NYPD officers were on the scene. The assailant was effectively cuffed and taken into custody. He was taken to a hospital for his injuries. Lt. Jose Gautreaux was wounded but is in stable condition.
As reported by the Post, only twelve hours before, on Saturday night, an on-duty NYPD officer sitting in a marked patrol van with his partner was shot in the by a gunman, who got away. The incident occurred just blocks away, near the Hunts Point Avenue subway station in the 41st precinct. Police believe the gunman in both cases might be one and the same. His name has not been released.
The NYPD officer who was shot on Saturday night Paul Stroffolino, has thankfully survived and was released Sunday from Lincoln Hospital, as per USA Today. Commissioner Dermot Shea said the officer was targeted. “Let me be very clear: this was an assassination attempt of two New York city police officers,” Shea said. When asked to comment on the president’s tweet, Shea said, “I’m not getting into that. This is about our officers”.
“Thank God our officers are alive,” de Blasio said. “This was an attempt to assassinate police officers, we need to use the word. It was a premeditated effort to kill.”
Governor Cuomo responded to the news saying he has asked the State Police to offer the NYPD any assistance it may need. “We have zero tolerance for attacks of any kind against law enforcement, and the person or people responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Cuomo said in the statement. Dani Lever, his communications director, further responded to Trump’s tweet. “We‘d think politicizing police shootings would be beyond the pale even for @realDonaldTrump, but apparently there’s nothing too low for him,” she wrote on Twitter.
Last summer, cops were doused with water across New York City, provoking the President’s taunts towards the local leaders for allowing such lack of respect for the NY Police Department.
