The off-duty cop who was shot after a road rage dispute in Queens earlier this week was released from the hospital on Friday to applause from fellow officers.
Chris Campos, a 5-year veteran based out of the 81st Precinct in Brooklyn, had been admitted at Elmhurst Hospital since Wednesday when two brothers allegedly attempted to wrestle his gun away from him.
The chaotic incident unfolded at around 12:45 p.m. on Aug. 30 at the corner of 70th Street and Queens Boulevard in Woodside, after the off-duty Campos and 32-year-old Edwin Rivera had a verbal dispute that soon turned physical. Edwin’s brother, 27-year-old Shawn Rivera allegedly smashed Campos’ rear window.
When the off-duty cop produced a gun and attempted to place the pair under arrest, the brothers apparently attempted to take his firearm, resulting in a struggle that left Edwin with a gunshot wound to the hand and Campos with a bullet to the leg.
While both siblings were cuffed for the attack that saw Shawn attempting to choke the cop, Campos was rushed to Elmhurst hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.
Compos left the hospital just after 5:30 p.m. on Friday when he received a standing ovation from fellow cops who had lined outside of the 79th Street and Broadway side entrance. He gave a quick wave before being loaded into the back of an awaiting police ambulance.
Edwin is charged with assault, obstructing government administration and two counts of attempted criminal possession of a weapon. Shawn is facing four counts of assault, strangulation, resisting arrest, obstruction of government administration, criminal mischief, and two counts of attempted criminal possession of a weapon.
PBA President Patrick Hendry thanked the judge for remanding the brothers while also admonishing them for their prior arrests.
“They were arrested in the past several times. They felt that nothing would happen to them, and if it wasn’t a police officer, what would have happened to that person?” Hendry said. “Imagine if it was another person and it wasn’t a police officer that had a firearm that was able to defend himself. But we’re thankful that he walked out of this hospital. We’re truly thankful for the judge in this case, who remanded these two bad individuals. We need our criminal justice system to work.”
