Thursday, March 29, 2012

Japanese Tourist Struck By Stray Cop Bullet In Drug Raid




BROOKLYN — A Japanese tourist sleeping on a couch in a Flatbush apartment was hit by a stray police bullet during a drug bust in the same building early Thursday, police and witnesses said.

The unidentified woman, 25, was dozing in the living room of a second floor apartment at 3003 Clarendon Rd., near Nostrand Avenue, about 6:30 a.m. when cops burst into a flat a floor above, police and witnesses said.

"I just heard a big sound, and that was it," said Marcus Cruz, who was hosting the woman in his second floor home.

"Once I heard a bang, I just jumped up," Cruz added. "I didn't hear no gunshots."

Cops from the Brooklyn South Narcotics unit were executing a warrant for drugs in Apt. 3F when one of the cops began struggling with a suspect, sources said. At some point, the officer's gun discharged, according to police.

"They busted in," said Cerissa Hayes, 35, a third-floor resident who lives across the hall from the apartment that was raided. "They yelled, 'Police!' and I heard a shot.

"I heard a big bang. I thought it was my apartment," she added.

The round ripped through the floor and into into Marcus' home, grazing the victim in the forearm, sources said.

She was taken to Kings County Hospital, where she was treated and released.

A few hours after the incident, cops escorted the victim back to the Clarendon Road building. Clearly shaken, she ignored questions from reporters.

"She was kind of nervous and shocked," Cruz said, adding that the visitor had been in town only a few days.

Police said they had two people in custody and charges were pending. They did not say if drugs or weapons were found in the home.

Natasha Barnett, 28, who said she used to date a man who lives in the raided apartment, claimed there was no drug activity in the home.

"He doesn't sell drugs," she said. "I don't know of him selling drugs."







(By-DNAinfo)

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