Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Sharpton Calls for Federal Probe in Cop-On-Cop Shooting
By
John Del Signore
Published May 29, 2009
Modified Jun 2, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published May 29, 2009
Modified Jun 2, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The off-duty police officer who was fatally shot by police in Harlem last night as he chased a burglar with his gun drawn died from a gunshot wound from the chest. But a spokeswoman for the city medical examiner says that though the fatal bullet was recovered from the front of Officer Omar Edwards's chest, the bullet actually entered the left side of his back before hitting his heart and left lung. Another bullet struck his left arm, and a third hit his left hip. The NYPD is still withholding the name of the white cop who fired on Edwards and is conducting an investigation to determine whether officers identified themselves. But Rev. Al Sharpton wants a federal investigation; speaking to 1010WINS, he says sees "a growing pattern of black officers being killed with the assumption that they are the criminals." On that note, City Room takes a compelling look back at the many incidents of white cops shooting black cops over the years, including one such report from 1940 with the antiquated yet eerie headline "Patrolman Slain by Fellow-Police: Negro, Off-Duty and Chasing a Burglar, Felled by Shots of Men from Radio Car."
Tagged
al sharpton
black
cop
cop on cop shooting
fatal
harlem
shooting
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Mamdani expands free produce programs for New Yorkers on SNAP
Another program offering cash back for purchasing fruits and vegetables will get more funding.
By
Karen Yi
Published Nov 8, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET
Federal judge rules Mamdani administration must give ICE names of Bronx shelter residents
The city argued the request was more "political" than investigatory.
By
Willow Higgins
News
Federal judge rules Mamdani administration must give ICE names of Bronx shelter residents
The city argued the request was more "political" than investigatory.
By
Willow Higgins
NYPD arrests and charges city schools employee in murder of Brooklyn jogger
By
Kaya Laterman
Work is underway to replace deteriorating Newark Bay Bridge, a major NY-NJ route
By
Michael Sol Warren
Quest Diagnostics pays $13M to settle kickback allegations involving NY Giants tickets
By
Kaya Laterman
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .