NYPD Emergency Services officers shot and killed an armed man on the Lower East Side during a standoff Thursday afternoon, police confirmed.
According to Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, the NYPD Warrant Squad tracked alleged 43-year-old sex offender Kent Edwards to 206 Eldridge St just before noon on Dec. 14.
Chief Maddrey said that Edwards had been wanted for an October shooting in which he shot a man in the left leg.
Edwards, who resided in the Bronx, apparently locked himself in the 2nd floor bathroom of a female resident with whom he had a relationship, sources said. Fleeing the building, the woman told police that Edwards had barricaded himself inside with a pistol.
Pedestrians were quickly evacuated from the scene. Photo by Dean Moses
“They [NYPD ESU] establish contact with the wanted male, they’re having conversations with the male and they’re just taking the time talking to him trying to get him to surrender peacefully,” Chief Maddrey said.
Police swiftly cordoned-off the area and hurriedly evacuated pedestrians underway while the impasse unfolded.
Over the course of several hours, Edwards allegedly made several demands including requesting water, medicine, and to speak with his sister, who the NYPD say they could not contact as officers bearing assault weapons stood poised outside the apartment building, fixated on the window of the residence where the gunman was holed up. Other armed NYPD personnel, lugging riot shields went into the apartment attempting to negotiate a peaceful end to the impasse.
Police deployed a drone, which Edwards is said to have destroyed by swinging a broom at the device. Next police unleashed what they dubbed an avatar, a remote-control land drone. However, after nearly two hours and 30 minutes, when Edwards spotted the avatar, he came out firing.
“We believe four shots he fired. He struck a small shield one time, he struck one of our larger bunkers twice, and one of our members from ESU took a projectile to his bulletproof vests,” Chief Maddrey said. “Our officers were able to return fire, they fired twice striking the male.”
Police say they used one of the heavy duty shields to subdue Edwards. Four or five gunshots could be heard blasting from outside at just after 2 p.m. Mere minutes later, the alleged gunman, now wounded, was whisked away on a stretcher by first responders. He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Several of the ESU officers were also taken to a local hospital for evaluation, police sources said.
According to Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny, has 11 prior arrests dating back to 1995, that included a shooting and strangulation. He was last arrested on Feb. 23 of this year on a rape charge. He also had an active warrant for failing to register as a sex offender, cops say.
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