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Mounted NYPD Cop Defends Police Car, Shoots Man
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 5, 2010
Modified Nov 5, 2010
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 5, 2010
Modified Nov 5, 2010
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You don't often hear stories about mounted NYPD officers defending a police vehicle. Oh sure, there are plenty of stories about guys inadvertently slipping their fingers into horses, and cops shooting at people messing with their cars. But officers on horseback are not normally called upon to protect their mechanical brothers. But one Brooklyn mountie heeded just such a call early this morning.
Mounted cop Matt Sobota, an 18-year NYPD veteran, was getting ready for the day at 5:30 a.m. inside the NYPD's Mounted Unit Troop E in Brighton Beach, when a civilian employee informed him someone was trying to break into a cop car outside. Not fully dressed, Sobota ran out to find an unidentified man had smashed the window of the car with a brick. According to the Post, the man attacked Sobota with the brick, and the two ended up in a tussle. Sobota fired his gun twice in the melee, hitting the suspect in the left shoulder.
The would-be thief/vandal was apprehended, and is in stable condition, while Sobota was taken to Coney Island Hospital for observation. Sobota's horse hopes this doesn't stirrup anymore troubles for their otherwise stable relationship.
Tagged
brick
car
cop
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mounted police
nypd
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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