East New York was the center of both tragedy and hope this weekend as loved ones gathered to pray for the still unnamed patrol cop who was shot during an attempted robbery in the neighborhood Saturday night.
On Feb. 5, colleagues, local clergy members, friends and family met in the lobby of Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center to show their support for the officer still fighting for his life upstairs. Attendees of the vigil prayed for the officer to make a full recovery during the emotional gathering.
Deputy Inspector Adeel Rana asked friends, family and colleagues to pray for the 26-year-old cop who was shot during an attempted robbery while he was off-duty.The five-year NYPD veteran and father of two was left critically injured during a holdup over the weekend and remains in such condition Monday.
The botched robbery quickly devolved into a shootout, in which the cop was shot in the head. Sources familiar with the investigation are now saying the cop’s brother attempted to pick up the gravely wounded man’s gun and return fire at their attacker, but authorities do not believe that the suspect was hit.
“We are going through a really hard time, the family is going through hardship, and gathering here tonight means a lot to family,” said Captain Waheed Akhter, vice president of the NYPD Muslim Officers Society.