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Just Out of Prison, Brooklyn Gunman Is Killed by Officers, Police Say Just Out of Prison, Brooklyn Gunman Is Killed by Officers, Police Say
(about 1 hour later)
Life for Nasheem Prioleau had become a series of long periods behind bars, punctuated with short bursts of freedom. He had just been released from prison on parole last week after serving a five-year sentence for robbery. Life for Nasheem Prioleau had become a series of long periods in prison, punctuated by short bursts of freedom. He had just been released on parole last week after serving a five-year sentence for robbery.
It did not take him long to return to his old ways, the police said. On Tuesday night, around 8 p.m., he was walking through the Gowanus Houses, on the edge of the brownstone Brooklyn neighborhood of Boerum Hill. And, the police said, he had a gun. It did not take Mr. Prioleau long to return to his old ways, the police said. Around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, he was walking near the Gowanus Houses public housing complex in Brooklyn, on the edge of the Boerum Hill neighborhood. And, the police said, he had a gun.
A pair of plainclothes officers who had been patrolling in an unmarked car said they saw Mr. Prioleau, 30, shooting at another person near the intersection of Baltic and Hoyt streets. They leaped from the car and ordered Mr. Prioleau to drop his weapon. Two plainclothes officers who were patrolling the area in an unmarked car said they saw Mr. Prioleau, 30, shooting at another man near the intersection of Baltic and Hoyt Streets, the police said. They jumped out of the car and ordered Mr. Prioleau to drop his weapon.
What happened next unfolded in seconds, and the police were still piecing it together on Wednesday morning.What happened next unfolded in seconds, and the police were still piecing it together on Wednesday morning.
The two officers opened fire and dozens of rounds shattered the autumn night. When it was over, Mr. Prioleau lay mortally wounded, a 9-millimeter pistol near him, and the person he had apparently targeted had fled. The officers opened fire and dozens of rounds shattered the autumn night. When it was over, Mr. Prioleau lay mortally wounded, a 9-millimeter pistol near him, and the man he had apparently targeted had fled.
Chief Terence A. Monahan, the Police Department’s highest ranking uniformed officer, said the officers, whom he did not name, “immediately identified themselves as police and gave multiple orders to drop the weapon.” Chief Terence A. Monahan, the Police Department’s highest-ranking uniformed officer, said that the officers, whom he did not name, “immediately identified themselves as police and gave multiple orders to drop the weapon.”
Mr. Prioleau not only did not comply, but pointed his pistol at them, the chief said. Mr. Prioleau not only did not comply, but he pointed his pistol at the officers, the chief said.
“The perpetrator was discharging his gun at somebody else,” Chief Monahan said. “The cops happen to be there when he did it. So he turned his gun on them.”“The perpetrator was discharging his gun at somebody else,” Chief Monahan said. “The cops happen to be there when he did it. So he turned his gun on them.”
It remained unclear if Mr. Prioleau fired his weapon at the officers. It remained unclear whether Mr. Prioleau had fired his weapon at the officers. The police were still looking for the second man on Wednesday, officials said.
The officers were members of an anti-crime unit, which are elite, aggressive teams in civilian clothes and unmarked cars whose main mission is taking guns out of the hands of criminals. Often, they respond to reports of people armed with a gun, or sounds of gunfire. The officers were members of an anti-crime unit, an elite, aggressive team whose main mission is taking guns out of criminals’ hands. Anti-crime units often respond to reports of people armed with guns, or to sounds of gunfire.
It is dangerous work. Last month, an anti-crime police officer in the Bronx, Brian Mulkeen, 33, wrestled to the ground a man who was armed with a gun. As they struggled, other officers on the scene opened fire, killing Mr. Mulkeen and the other man. It is dangerous work. Last month, an anti-crime officer in the Bronx, Brian Mulkeen, 33, wrestled an armed man to the ground. As they struggled, other officers on the scene opened fire, killing Mr. Mulkeen and the other man.
Chief Monahan said the gunman, later identified as Mr. Priouleau, had “an extensive criminal history, including multiple violent felony convictions.” Chief Monahan said on Tuesday that the gunman in the Brooklyn, later identified as Mr. Priouleau, had “an extensive criminal history, including multiple violent felony convictions.”
State records show that in 2008, Mr. Priouleau went to prison for a felony weapons possession charge, and was released in August 2010. By 2011, he was in prison again on an attempted assault charge. State records show that in 2008, Mr. Priouleau was sentenced to prison for a felony weapons- possession charge, and that he was released in August 2010.
In October 2013, he was released. Then in December 2014 — about two weeks after his 26th birthday — he was incarcerated again; this time, for attempted robbery. By 2011, he was in prison again, this time on an attempted assault charge. He was released in October 2013. Then in December 2014, about two weeks after he turned 26, he was sentenced to prison again, for attempted robbery.
The police were still looking for the second man involved in the initial shooting, officials said. On Tuesday night, before Chief Monahan addressed reporters, a stretch of Baltic Street with the housing complex buildings on either side was blocked off by police tape and vehicles, as officers flooded the block and helicopters buzzed overhead.
At about 10 p.m., before Chief Monahan addressed reporters, a stretch of Baltic Street with the housing complex buildings on either side was blocked off by police tape and vehicles, as officers flooded the block and helicopters buzzed overhead.
Elvis Peguero, the owner of the Los Tios Deli Grocery on Hoyt Street, said he had heard “a lot of shots” — as many as 20, he guessed — just before 8 p.m. in what sounded like volleys coming from both sides of Baltic Street. Within minutes, he said, police officers were swarming the area.Elvis Peguero, the owner of the Los Tios Deli Grocery on Hoyt Street, said he had heard “a lot of shots” — as many as 20, he guessed — just before 8 p.m. in what sounded like volleys coming from both sides of Baltic Street. Within minutes, he said, police officers were swarming the area.
Apartment courtyards on either side of Baltic Street were also taped off, and some residents of the complex said they had been locked out of their buildings.Apartment courtyards on either side of Baltic Street were also taped off, and some residents of the complex said they had been locked out of their buildings.
Shortly after 10:30 p.m., a line of officers, some in riot gear and some leading police dogs, walked across a courtyard south of Baltic Street facing the shooting site.Shortly after 10:30 p.m., a line of officers, some in riot gear and some leading police dogs, walked across a courtyard south of Baltic Street facing the shooting site.
Shanduke McPhatter, a Brooklyn anti-gang activist, said that it was important to residents of the neighborhood to get a full accounting of the police response and to be assured the police were not “excessively shooting.” Shanduke McPhatter, a Brooklyn anti-gang activist, said that it was important to residents of the neighborhood that there be a full accounting of the police’s response and an assurance that the officers had not been “excessively shooting.”
“We just want to get the facts, and that’s what we’re focused on,” Mr. McPhatter said. “We want to see who fired how many shots.”“We just want to get the facts, and that’s what we’re focused on,” Mr. McPhatter said. “We want to see who fired how many shots.”
Mr. Prioleau’s mother, Lashann Tyre, said she spoke to her son on the telephone a short time before the shooting and he had been cracking jokes and talking about a woman he was interested in dating. She said she was skeptical of the police account. “I don’t believe it,” she said. “I can’t see my son shooting at the police.” Mr. Prioleau’s mother, Lashann Tyre, said that she had spoken to her son on the telephone a short time before the shooting and that he was cracking jokes and talking about a woman he was interested in dating. She said that she was skeptical of the police account.
“I don’t believe it,” she said. “I can’t see my son shooting at the police.”
Ali Watkins and Michael Gold contributed reporting.Ali Watkins and Michael Gold contributed reporting.