Pharmacy Robbery On L.I.

A man who police say robbed a pharmacy Saturday was shot and killed in a confrontation outside the Long Island store as he was leaving.

Nassau County police said the unidentified man entered the pharmacy and announced a robbery about 2 p.m. in Seaford, then exited with cash and drugs. Three people intervened as the man left the shop, police said.

The suspect was shot during the confrontation and a second person was injured, police said. The nature of the injury wasn't immediately clear.

Police closed off the sidewalk with tape and covered the body with a white sheet while they investigated, said Razov Felice, owner of an Italian restaurant down the street. Felice said the area has been struggling with a growing tide of prescription drug abuse.

"There is a lot of problem in Long Island with these drugs," Felice said. "I don't know what people are thinking. The more people talk about these drugs, the more people are trying them."

The shooting occurred about 30 miles west of another Long Island pharmacy where four people were gunned down by a drug addict during a robbery in July.

Nationwide, armed robberies at pharmacies rose 81 percent between 2006 and 2010, from 380 to 686, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Carjacking Suspect Dies After Shoot-Out

 A carjacker ended up dead after a string of bad decisions that started with targeting a Newark police officer as his victim.

The off-duty police officer shot the armed man who tried to carjack him early on Saturday morning.

It happened at about 5:15 a.m. on Kerrigan Blvd. in the Vailsburg section of Newark.

Police say a man with a gun attempted to carjack the cop. A shoot-out started between the officer and the suspect. The carjacker was shot in the exchange of gunfire.

He jumped into a stolen car that had other people in it and they sped away. They crashed a short distance from the scene and the man with the gunshot wound was thrown from the vehicle.

He was transported to University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7:30 a.m. His name had not been released. The other people in the car ran off and were not captured.

The name of the officer was being withheld for safety concerns. The officer was taken to University Hospital after the shooting and was treated for shock.

A firearm was found at the scene of the shooting and another firearm was found in the get away car.

Two Teens Shot At House Party

 Two teenagers were shot early Saturday at a house party in Suffolk County.

Police say a vehicle drove past a house party at 38 Ronald Drive East in North Amityville at about 12:15 a.m. Someone inside the car opened fire. At least five shots were aimed at a crowd outside of the home.

A 16-year-old Huntington Station girl was shot. She was rushed to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. She was listed in serious but stable condition.

An 18-year-old Copiague man was also shot. He was hit in the calf. He drove himself to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip where he was treated and released.

The Suffolk County police continue to investigate. Detectives are asking witnesses to anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

Police Arrest Woman Caught With Stun Gun At JFK

A woman was arrested Friday after trying to sneak a stun gun through a checkpoint at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The Transportation Security Administration says Port Authority police arrested the woman after an officer spotted the stun gun/flashlight combination tool, which is about as long as a pen, in her carry-on bag.

The woman was trying to board a flight to Orlando.

She is facing a state charge.

The TSA reminds travelers that some weapons are permitted in checked baggage, but they should call their airlines first before bringing them to the airport.

Prohibited items are also listed on the TSA's website at tsa.gov.

(By: NY1 News)

Officials Establish Scholarship Fund For Child Who Lost Mother In Fatal Brooklyn Hit-And-Run

As police continue their search for the driver in a deadly Brooklyn hit-and-run that killed a mother on Christmas Day, local leaders are asking for donations to help the victim's son.

Police say Donna Fountain, 38, was hit as she was crossing Eastern Parkway at Troy Avenue.

A list of Fountain's dreams was found at the accident, including seeing her 8-year-old son, Elijah, graduate college.

State Senator Eric Adams and other local officials have now established a scholarship fund for him, starting with a $25,000 donation.

"On Christmas morning, a nightmare took place where a mother was taken from her child. There's nothing we can do to stop that nightmare, but we can continue to dream of ensuring her son receives a quality education," said Adams.

The community is also offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the conviction of the driver who struck Fountain.

Anyone interested in donating to the scholarship fund can contact Senator Adams' office at (718)284-4700.

Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.

CAR VS POLE.

Brooklyn FDNY & EMS Where on scene at Mcdonald ave & Vanderbilt st for a Serious MVA Hatzolah EMS transported 1 patient in Cardiac Arrest to Maimonides Hospital..

A 2-year-old boy was fatally shot inside a Newark, N.J. home Friday morning,

The boy was shot inside 57 St. James Place.

A law enforcement source told NBC New York the shot that fatally hit the boy was a stray bullet.

It was unclear why the gun was fired, and whether it was accidental or deliberate.

A bank robber dubbed the Dapper Bandit is wanted for 10 bank robberies in New York City, sometimes while wearing a suit.

The most recent robbery was Tuesday at a Citibank across from City Hall in Manhattan. Authorities believe the first was a Capital One Bank on West 57th Street in September.

The FBI on Thursday said the suspected robber has been identified as Dana Connor, 52, who may be living in Virginia and traveling to New York City to rob banks.

Connor has a "Moe Love" tattoo on his chest and sometimes goes by Maurice, the FBI said.

A 16-year-old boy made an easy collar for police early Thursday after he shot another teen in front of a Bronx police precinct, cop sources said.
The teenaged shooter opened fire on a 19-year-old man in front of the 46th Precinct stationhouse on Ryer Ave. in University Heights at about 1:45 a.m., the sources said.

An officer standing in the building's vestibule heard the shots and ran outside, sources said. The cop saw the victim lying on the ground with wounds to his back, chest and abdomen, sources said.

He then spotted the shooter running away from the scene. The officer used his radio to put out a description of the gunman, who was nabbed nearby, sources said.

A .38-caliber pistol was also recovered, sources said.

The victim — who sources said may have had an ongoing beef with the shooter — was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.

"It's crazy, especially around here," said Christian Lee, 22. "There's always police presence around here. They're always walking around or driving. They're always around."

Charges against the brazen shooter were pending.

Brooklyn some 1 Jump down off building From the 15 floorsDOA on scene..at  Wortman Ave & Vermont St. EMS & NYPD Where on scene Level 1 Mobilization has been called in regards for Crowd control.

Man Arrested For Trying To Bring Knife Aboard JFK Flight

A man was placed under arrest Tuesday after federal officials say a knife was discovered in his carry-on bag at John F. Kennedy Airport.

The Transportation Safety Administration says one of its officers found a spring-loaded knife in the man's bag Tuesday afternoon.

Port Authority police confiscated the knife and arrested the man, who was planning to board a flight to Russia.

The TSA reminds travelers that weapons -- including knives -- are prohibited from being brought onto an aircraft in carry-on luggage.

Public safety maintains record levels

 Public safety was maintained at near record levels with fire deaths and murders reaching close to the all-time bottoms, Mayor Bloomberg announced today.

With Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano at his side, the mayor reported that 64 people died in fires in 2011, just two more than the record low of 62 set last year.

The number of murders was put at "slightly more" than 500, the third best achievement of the NYPD since comparable records were kept starting in 1963.

The lowest number of murders were recorded in 2009, when 471 deaths were labeled as homicides.

Ambulance response times to life-threatening calls were the fastest ever, 6 minutes and 31 seconds. The previous low was 6:37 in 2006.

"Despite tough fiscal times, New York's frontline public safety agencies -- the NYPD and the FDNY -- continue to keep our city safer than at any time in recorded history," said the mayor.

It was the second day in a row he rolled out uplifting statistics. Yesterday, Bloomberg released data showing that a newborn born in 2009 can expect to live 80.6 years, or 2.4 more than the U.S. average.

Brooklyn:  Ave U & Kimball St. Pedestrian struck transported in serious condition. NYPD hwy AIS on scene for the AI.

Mayor, Police Commissioner Visit Fallen NYPD Officer's Colleagues

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly went to East New York, Brooklyn to pay a special Christmas visit to the stationhouse of the late Detective Peter Figoski, who was gunned down two weeks ago during a robbery.

The emotional visit to the 75th Precinct came during roll call for the night crew.

Figoski worked the midnight shift until he was gunned down two weeks ago while providing backup to other officers during a robbery.

"We know that you're going to carry on and build on his legacy, and for that the people of New York City are always going to be grateful," said Kelly. "So I simply want to thank you for all of your efforts here and wish you and your families a merry Christmas and a happy new year."

Five men have been charged with murder in Figoski's death.

Brooklyn Hit-And-Run Driver At Large

Police are looking for a hit-and-run driver who ran down a woman in Crown Heights, Brooklyn on Sunday.

Investigators say 38-year-old Donna Fountain was hit as she was crossing Eastern Parkway at Troy Avenue on Christmas morning.

The gray car hit Fountain, who was walking just a few blocks from her home on St. John's Place, and then sped off.

Fountain was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.

BAY SHORE, NY -- Suffolk County Police are investigating the deaths of a woman and 2-year-old boy whose bodies were found in a basement apartment in North Bay Shore, Long Island.

Police said Saturday they were called to a home on Cardinal Court in North Bay Shore at about 5:15 p.m. on Friday.

They found the woman and boy dead, but have released no details about the cause of death. Detectives are asking anyone with information about the deaths to contact the Suffolk County Police Department.

North Bay Shore is about 20 miles east of New York City near the south shore of Long Island.

Fire officials say they battled a two-alarm fire in New Jersey early Saturday morning.
According to officials, the blaze that took place in an abandoned building on Railroad Avenue and S. 2nd Street in Harrison.

The fire was so massive that the neighboring towns had crews to assist the Harrison fire department fight the fire.

Officials say they are still investigating the cause of the fire.

A 15-year-old was shot to death in the lobby of his Brooklyn apartment building Friday - just across the courtyard from where his cousin was murdered last year.

Marquis Washington was blasted eight times in the chest and once in the head in the entry way to his Cypress Houses building on Euclid Ave. around 8:39 p.m., police sources said. He was taken to Brookdale hospital where he died, police said.

"I was at a Christmas party - somebody pulled me into a bathroom and told me my nephew was dead," said the victim's aunt, who identified herself only as Grandma Weezy.

"They chased him and shot him nine times."

The woman said 16-year-old Shaquile Evans, who was also her nephew and Marquis' cousin, was gunned down in an eerily similar way on Nov. 21, 2010, behind a building in the same housing project.

Evans, who also died at Brookdale Hospital, was shot once in the head.

"We buried [Shaquile\] two days before Thanksgiving, and now [Marquis\] dies on Christmas Eve," the grieving aunt said.

Relatives said Marquis lived in a sixth-floor apartment with another aunt, Shannon Washington. Before he was killed, Evans lived in the same building on the second floor, police said.

Investigators were hunting for a motive in Marquis' death, although the shooting may be gang-related, sources said. The circumstances behind Shaquile's death are still unknown, police said.

"I don't know what's going on," the woman continued. "I know they were babies and you ain't supposed to kill babies."

Cops recovered eight shell casings from the scene of Friday's shooting, sources said.

No arrests have been made in either slaying, cops said.

Warehouse Fire To Burn Through Week

Officials say a huge fire that broke out inside a northern New Jersey warehouse this week will likely continue to burn for several more days.

Dozens of firefighters have been battling the blaze in Elizabeth since it broke out Wednesday afternoon. But safety concerns about the building's stability have kept them from fully attacking the fire, though the warehouse isn't expected to collapse.

Authorities aren't sure what sparked the blaze, though it's believed that it started with a car fire inside a body shop in the warehouse. But it's not clear what items are still burning

The fire has produced thick plumes of black smoke visible from miles away, including the New Jersey Turnpike. But no injuries have been reported.

Crews remained on the scene Saturday to monitor the blaze.

Sting of Illegal Airport Pickups

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Taxi and Limousine Commission are trying to crack down on illegal activity being carried out by livery cab drivers. They conducted a sting operation at Kennedy Airport.

Port Authority police made seven arrests and seized 15 cars Friday night while targeting livery cabbies making illegal pickups at the airport.

Lt. Dan Carbano, a 33-year veteran with the PAPD, led the hack enforcement unit's operation.

He said many drivers who solicit rides from travelers are not properly licensed or insured. Also, some drivers charge exorbitant prices to drive passengers into Manhattan.

Two cops slowly approached their target in a JFK terminal. Cops said one guy approached five people and offered them a fare for $120 for a trip to Manhattan.

A livery cab driver can make $1,000 on a weekend night. That's a lot of untaxed cash that entices some to take the illegal risk.

Police Find Explosives In Bronx House

Police are questioning four people after explosive materials were found today in a house in the Soundview section of the Bronx.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said police raided a home on Stratford Avenue and found a fragmentation grenade and a military stun grenade.

They also found raw material that can be used to make explosives.

Kelly said the raid resulted from a tip about illegal guns.

"It's a concern, of course, and this was excellent information that was received, proved to be a fruitful warrant execution," Kelly said.

The commissioner said police are still investigating what the people in the house intended to do with the explosives.

A body found in a remote area of eastern Pennsylvania in November has been identified as that of a Brooklyn eatery owner who had been reported missing just a day before.

The body of 30-year-old Joshua James Rubin was found in South Whitehall Township on the morning of Nov. 1, authorities in Lehigh County, Pa. said. It had been set on fire, and an autopsy determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the body.

Rubin, who lived in the Ditmas Park section of Brooklyn, owned Whisk Cafe at 1119 Newkirk Ave., according to authorities. The business has been closed since Rubin was reported missing by his family at 9 p.m. on Oct. 31.

Investigators were able to use DNA to identify Rubin.

Rubin, who is from Rhode Island originally, had opened his cafe during the summer. He produced an online video chronicling his journey to open the coffee shop, posting it to Vimeo (embdeeded below).

There was no information on a possible suspect or motive.

Anyone with information about Rubin is asked to contact to the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force at 610-437-5252.

Fire Truck Hits Jeep While Responding To Brooklyn Fire

Two firefighters were hurt Wednesday while on their way to fight a fire in Brooklyn.

Officials say it happened when a fire truck got into an accident while heading to Park Slope. The truck collided with a jeep at the intersection of Bergen Street and New York Avenue in Crown Heights.

The passenger side of the Jeep was smashed, forcing it onto the curb and into the side of an apartment building.

Officials say the crew was on its way to a fire at a building on nearby Seventh Avenue.

Two civilians also suffered injuries.

Thousands of officers were in attendance, joining Figoski's family and friends at the 11 a.m. funeral at St. Joseph's Church in Babylon.

Montauk Highway is closed in both directions from Little East Neck Road to Deer Park Avenue until 2 p.m. Deer Park Avenue will be closed southbound from Park Avenue to Montauk Highway.

Figoski's was a dedicated father of four girls and a dedicated officer who patrolled the streets of Brooklyn's 75th Precinct for 22 years. He was shot and killed last monday while responding to a break-in.

"He had a grin that quiet confidence about him that makes you feel like to was going to be all right … no matter how bad it was," said fellow officer Ricky Giordano.

Giordano is one of hundreds of people who attended Figoski's wake over the weekend.

"He just helped everybody. He was just sweet, raised his family like that. He will be missed," said family friend Liz Mihalik.

Figoski's accused killer Lamont Pride and four alleged accomplices were formally charged with murder Friday.

Please offer your thoughts in our comments section below.

Two firefighters were burned in a blaze at a Brooklyn brownstone Monday and are in serious condition.

The FDNY says the two firefighters were taken to an area hospital for treatment. One suffered burns over 30 percent of his body, including his face, hands and head, the FDNY said.

They were responding to a two-alarm fire Monday at the brownstone on Prospect Place near Albany Avenue in Crown Heights.

More than 100 firefighters and emergency crews responded to the scene.

Hatzolah ems transported a 17 y/o by a nypd Escort in serious condition after being struck by a forklift in Brooklyn at Harrison ave & heyward st,

Police say a man was struck and killed by a subway train after he fell onto the tracks in the Bronx early Sunday morning.
According to police, the victim, who looked to be in his 30s, fell in front of an oncoming No. 4 train around 4:45 a.m. at the 176th Street station on Jerome Avenue in the Mount Hope section.
The unidentified man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police say they are continuing their investigation.

Firefighters battled a fire in a Manhattan diner.
A Fire Department spokesman says there were no injuries in the fire reported Sunday morning on the fa ade of the Tick Tock Diner at 34th Street and Eighth Avenue. The diner is on the ground floor of The New Yorker Hotel building.
Firefighters knocked down the flames within an hour, and had the fire under control late Sunday morning.
The cause is unknown.

Suffolk County Police say two brothers were shot and killed and another man was wounded early Sunday morning on Long Island.
According to police, 19-year-old Ricardo Ceron and 21-year-old Erston Ceron, Jr. were found dead from gunshot wounds inside a 1998 Nissan Altima on Lincoln Avenue near Stockton Street in Brentwood at 2:50 a.m.
The two men were pronounced dead at the scene according to EMS.
A third man who was shot was treated by EMS for non-life threatening injuries. He was taken to a local hospital.
Suffolk County Police said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

Police Collect Over 140 Guns In Brooklyn Buyback

A gun buyback program was held Saturday in the same Brooklyn neighborhood where NYPD Officer Peter Figoski was fatally shot earlier in the week, and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that over 140 guns were collected.

Kelly added that most of the guns turned in were handguns.

The event went from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Peter's Lutheran Church on Highland Place in Cypress Hills.

Anyone who returned a working handgun received a $200 bank card, no questions asked.

A $20 bank card was given for any working rifle or shotgun.

The event was sponsored by the New York City Police Department, the Brooklyn district attorney, and Councilman Erik Dilan.

"A lot of these guns may have in the past been used in criminal activity, and people may not want to dispose of them in the proper way, so this will give us a chance to get these guns off the street," said City Councilman Erik Dilan.

A buyback event in Brooklyn last month netted 85 guns.

More than 7,000 guns have been taken off the streets since the buybacks started in 2008.

Skim scam by NYPD

A NYPD employee spent two years stealing money from his Manhattan precinct at $10 a clip — and his scam netted him more than $16,000 before anyone figured it out, sources said yesterday.

Todd Barnes, 52, who worked at the 13th Precinct in Gramercy Park, collected $10 money orders made out to the NYPD by civilians seeking copies of accident reports.

Barnes took the money orders, scratched out the NYPD's name from the "payee" line and wrote in his own name before cashing them, police said.

Investigators busted Barnes Tuesday after a sting operation.

Cops said Barnes perpetrated this fraud over a thousand times, raking in a total of $16,430 over the course of 25 months.

William Rodriguez of York Street Check Cashers, told cops from the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau that Barnes had been cashing $10 money orders at his Brooklyn shop for more than two years, according to court records.

After reviewing records, he determined that Barnes had cashed more than $16,000 in $10 money orders.

Rodriguez told cops that more than 25 of the documents listed NYPD, Police Department City of New York and/or New York City Police Department as the payee. 

Barnes, a senior police administrative aide making $40,000, also altered the purchaser information on many of the money orders, according to officials.

Rodriguez told cops that he suspected something was wrong when he saw the altered documents.

But Barnes told him that he worked for the NYPD and that was how he got paid for extra work. 

Rodriguez could not be reached for comment.

When Barnes accepted money orders for the department, he was required to fill out receipts.

But the jig was up earlier this month when Barnes went to York Street and cashed $10 money orders from two undercover officers and did not file receipts.

Barnes was arrested and charged with grand larceny, forgery and falsifying business records.

He is being held on a $30,000 bond.

Cops did not say why it took so long to uncover the scam.

"Investigators documented through integrity tests that money orders were being misappropriated, and the suspect was observed cashing them at a commercial check-cashing location," said NYPD spokesman Paul Browne.

Cops said Barnes admitted the scam.

Police have tracked down two young New Jersey girls who were the subject of an AMBER Alert earlier this morning.

Investigators say Emma Trapp, 5, and her 20-month-old sister Sophia were found unharmed at a motel near Bear Mountain in Orange County.

The kids are in the custody right now of the New York State police. Old Bridge police officers and officers, investigators from the Middlesex County prosecutors office are up there right now as well as I understand the FBI," said Captain Robert Weiss of the Old Bridge Police Department.

The girls' father, Anthony Trapp, 39, was found dead of an apparent suicide inside one of the motel's rooms.

Trapp was wanted for questioning in the death of his ex-wife.

She was found dead inside his home in Old Bridge, New Jersey yesterday.

Police: Bicyclist Stabbed During Argument In Midtown

The New York City Police Department is investigating a dispute between two bicyclists in Manhattan last night that sent one man to the hospital with stab wounds.

Investigators say it happened around 7 p.m. on the corner of Ninth Avenue and 49th Street.

A man in his 30s was stabbed in his chest and back.

Police say he is expected to recover.

They have not released a description of the man who stabbed him.

Anyone with information about the case is being asked to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-577-TIPS, by texting TIP577 to CRIMES, or by going toNYPDCrimeStoppers.com

City Probe Finds High Number Of Illegal Gun Sales Online

An undercover investigation by the city into online gun sales shows many private sellers are willing to sell to buyers who couldn't pass background checks.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg says an undercover investigation revealed 77 out of 125 private sellers were willing to make a sale with no questions asked.

Private sellers are not required to conduct background checks by law. However, if a seller has "reason to believe" a buyer can't pass, it's a felony to sell.

"Something like 40 percent of guns are sold privately and common sense says in this day and age the Internet is so easy to use, and has the ability people think to hide who they are and what they do, it makes common sense that the lot would. We certainly were able to go on and buy guns," Bloomberg said.

The investigation looked into 10 websites with 25,000 guns available for purchase.

Private sellers on Craigslist -- which prohibits the sale of firearms -- failed at the highest rate of 82 percent.

Man Found With Weapons At Airport

Authorities say they've arrested a man who had a loaded handgun and two knives in his carry-on baggage at an upstate New York airport.

The Transportation Security Administration says the .38-caliber revolver, a 9-inch knife and a utility knife were found in the man's bag during screening at the Elmira-Corning Regional Airport in Chemung County.

Chemung County Sheriff Christopher Moss says 53-year-old Michael Rinehart of Tioga, Pa., was charged with misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon and may also face federal charges.

Moss says Rinehart told deputies and FBI agents he forgot the gun and knives were in his bag when he went to board a Detroit-bound US Airways flight Monday morning. Authorities have ruled out terrorism.

Rinehart was released on $100,000 bail. He's due back in court Jan. 3.

Emergency Alert System Test

Get ready for an alert from the government on your phone on Thursday.

The New York City Office of Emergency Management and the federal government are sending out a test over the Wireless Emergency Alert System.

It will be sent to mobile phones ofto AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon customers in New York City sometime between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says the messages will look similar to a text message and may be accompanied by audible alerts regardless of the user's ring tone or volume settings.

A notification will be displayed on the screen with text that reads: "Severe Alert" or "Extreme Alert." Users will see the following test alert when they open the WEA message: "This is a test from NYC Office of Emergency Mgmt. Test Message 1. This is only a test." Some WEA‑capable mobile devices may receive more than one message, according to NYC officials.

The test is part of the new system that allows the government to send messages directly to mobile phones. They do note that some phones are not able to receive the message.

Phones can receive up to three classes of text-based alerts, such as Presidential, Imminent Threat (e.g., tornado), and Amber Alerts under rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission.

Other tests of the mobile phone test system have had problems.

On Monday, Verizon sent a test emergency alert to mobile phone customers in three New Jersey counties but didn't label it a test.

The alert was sent around noon Monday said there was a "Civil Alert' and told people to "take shelter before 1:24 p.m." Verizon says the message was sent to customers in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties

9-1-1 call centers were flooded with calls from people confused by the alarming message.

An Emergency Alert System is also being put in place for TV stations. A test in November had problems. Some stations failed to receive the test message and some stations had problems with audio quality.

A woman is dead following an elevator accident this morning inside a Manhattan office building.

The New York City Fire Department says it happened around 10:30 a.m. inside the building located at 285 Madison Avenue in Midtown.

a female passenger, who has not been identified, was getting on the elevator at the first floor when it abruptly shot up, trapping her in a blind shaft between the first and second floors.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two other women in their 20's who were also riding in the elevator were taken to New York University Hospital and treated for trauma.

One employee of the building who spoke with NY1 says he believes he was riding up in the same elevator shaft when the elevator plunged.

"The elevator was either next to me or one over, I heard this loud 'boom, crash,' and the whole thing kind of shaked. I got off and I didn't really think too much of it, then I heard somebody died," said the employee.

"It was extreme. A couple of the girls on my floor were crying and really panicked," said another employee.

The 28-story building is owned by Wire & Plastic Products, the parent company of advertising agency Young & Rubicam.

In a statement, the company says it was a "tragic accident."

An investigation is now underway.

NYPD: Five To Be Charged In Crime That Ended Brooklyn Officer's Life

Police have made four more arrests in connection with the shooting death of a city police officer in Brooklyn.

Investigators say five people in total are now in custody and that charges are pending.

That includes the man seen in a surveillance video walking away from the scene in Cypress Hills yesterday morning.

Police believe he was involved in the burglary that Officer Peter Figoski, 47, and his partner were responding to.

Figoski was shot at the scene and later died.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says police are not looking for any other suspects in Figoski's death.

Among those arrested are two people who came into the apartment after the shooting.

Police say the men were posing as concerned neighbors but police now believe they were involved in the alleged burglary.

A suspected getaway driver was also taken into custody.

Lamont Pride, 27, is facing murder charges.

He is expected to be arraigned later this afternoon.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne says Pride has made statements implicating himself as the gunman.

Investigators say Pride had 10 prior arrests and an outstanding warrant for his arrest for his alleged involvement in the shooting of a man in North Carolina.

Pride was arrested on drug charges in Brooklyn back on November 3, but was released because the warrant from North Carolina did not allow for him to be extradited.

Officer Figoski, who lived in West Babylon, NY, leaves behind four daughters.

Neighbors who spoke with reporters Monday say they are distraught.

"A very good neighbor, you know, we'd always wave to each other and I always felt I could knock on his door if I needed something," said one neighbor.

"My jaw dropped to my knees, I just...I was in shock about it, I couldn't believe it. It's just not right that a family man has to go this way," said another.

Figoski was a 22-year veteran of the force who made more than 200 arrests in his career.

Brooklyn: 19th Ave & 61 Street, Overturned Vehicle HATZOLAH EMS NYPD & ESU Where on scene Non serious injuries HATZOLAH EMS transporting 3 Patients to the Hospital.

A $10,000 reward is being offered as investigators continue their search for a second suspect wanted in connection with this morning's shooting death of a city police officer in Brooklyn.

The New York City Police Department says officers responded to a call of a break-in at a basement apartment on Pine Street in Cypress Hills around 2:15 a.m.

Police say two men wearing ski masks had entered the building and attacked the 25-year-old resident, hitting him on the head with a gun. They allegedly then stole cash and a watch.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says the two suspects tried to flee but could not get out and hid in a side room.

When they tried to escape, Kelly says they ran into Officer Peter Figoski, 47, who was at the bottom of a stairwell leading from the street to the apartment.

Kelly says one of the suspects, Lamont Pride, 27, then shot Figoski in the face.

He was taken to Jamaica Hospital where he died.

"Police officer Peter Figoski who was part of the backup team that responded was at the bottom of the stairs leading to the street of that basement apartment door. When he was shot in the face by one of two assailants," Kelly said.

"A single round that entered through the cheek and coursed through the neck and exited at the base of the skull. During its course and trajectory unfortunately it severed some very vital arteries," said New York City Police Department Surgeon Eli Kleinman.

Police say Figoski's partner, Officer Glenn Estrada, was able to chase down Pride, who is now facing murder charges.

Authorities are still searching for the second suspect.



The man is described as being between 24 and 30 years old with black hair.

Police say he was wearing a light colored t-shirt and dark pants, and was last seen on surveillance video walking westbound in front of 204 Chestnut Street.

While visiting the hospital this morning, Mayor Michael Bloomberg expressed condolences on behalf of the city.

"I just ask New Yorkers to keep Officer Figoski and his family and the entire NYPD family in their prayers and thoughts. And because of Officer Figoski and the thousands of other men and women in the NYPD ranks New York is the nation's safest big city year after year," Bloomberg said.

Police say an illegal semi-automatic gun and 10-round magazine was recovered at the scene.

Figoski was a 22-year veteran of the force who made more than 200 arrests in his career.

He was also awarded 12 medals, including eight for exceptional police duty.

The organization Citizens Outraged at Police Being Shot is offering the $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the second suspect.

Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-COP-SHOT.

All calls and information are kept confidential.