NYC Officer Shot to Death in Ambush; Gunman Killed

By COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press

BRONX, N.Y. (CN) — An ex-convict who ambushed a New York City police officer early Wednesday, shooting her to death inside her command post RV, was killed this morning after pulling a gun on police, authorities said.

Miosotis Familia, a 12-year member of the New York Police Department, was wrapping up her shift in the Bronx when Alexander Bonds fired one round through the passenger-side window and struck her in the head.

"Shots fired! 10-85!" Familia’s partner shouted frantically into his radio after the gunfire, including the code for an officer down. "My partner's shot! My partner's shot! My partner's shot! Hurry up, central!”

Police said officers responded quickly, catching up to 34-year-old Bonds about a block away. As they confronted him, he pulled a revolver, and police fired, killing him and striking a bystander in the stomach. A silver revolver was found at the scene. Police said the wounded bystander is in stable condition.

Familia, 48, had been stationed in a mobile command post, an RV-sized truck used as a communications hub during major events, like the Fourth of July. She had been writing in her memo book, a police log where officers record their shift activity, when Bonds walked up.

"This was an unprovoked direct attack on police officers who were assigned to keep the people of this city safe," Police Commissioner James O'Neill said, calling it an assassination.

Bonds, who also went by the name John Bonds, had been on parole for a robbery case in Syracuse, police said. He also had a sealed arrest for an assault with brass knuckles on a police officer, but the date of that arrest wasn't immediately clear.

Bonds was seen in surveillance footage marching up to the post "with purpose," officials said, but it's not clear what provoked the attack. Familia had no prior contact with the shooter, police said.

A video posted on Facebook in September shows the Bronx man ranting about the treatment of civilians by officers and talked about how hard life was behind bars. The photos of Bonds posted on the page match a police mugshot.

"Don't think every brother, cousin, uncle you got that get killed in jail is because of a blood or crip or Latin King killing them," he said in the video. “Nah, police be killing them and saying that an inmate killed them.”

Aside from the police rant, Bonds' Facebook page mostly consisted of inspirational quotes and quizzes.

Familia’s shooting recalled the Dec. 20, 2014, killing of patrol officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, who were ambushed and shot to death in their vehicle by a man who approached the passenger window of their marked police car. The suspect, 28-year-old Ismaaiyl Brinsley, then fatally shot himself. Brinsley announced online in the moments before the shooting that he was planning to shoot two "pigs" in retaliation for chokehold death of Eric Garner by a police officer on Staten Island.

Last month, a man pleaded guilty to killing two police officers in patrol cars in Iowa and said he simply disliked law enforcement.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, speaking at the hospital before Familia died, asked that the city keep her in their thoughts.

"She was on duty serving this city, protecting people, doing what she believed in and doing the job she loved," de Blasio said. "And after this shocking and sudden attack, her fellow officers came to her aid immediately."

Officers saluted at attention outside the Bronx hospital as the ambulance, and police motorcade escorted Familia's body from the hospital. Familia was a mother of three, including one set of twins. She was of Dominican descent and a member of the anti-crime unit.

"Fully knowing the dangers that she faced, she suited up in uniform every day and stood tall against those who threaten and terrorize the good folks of the Bronx," Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolman's Benevolent Association said.

The Bronx neighborhood was blocked off with police tape as officers investigated the deadly shooting. Police were combing for other surveillance footage and talking to witnesses.

The New York Daily News quoted witness Jay Marzelli as saying he thought the shots were fireworks at first.

"I was in this bodega right here on Creston, just getting a sandwich and all of a sudden there was all this running and stuff going on, and I look out, probably 40, 50, 60 cops screaming, 'Call a paramedic, clear the block!'" Marzelli said. "It looked like there was a riot going on, and two seconds later I hear gunshots, 'Bam, bam,' and then the police officer was just laying there."

___

Associated Press writer Karen Matthews contributed to this report.

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