Police officer wounded, suspect dead in overnight 'ambush' in Albany

ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) — Police in Albany, New York are investigating an officer-involved shooting Wednesday morning, that Chief Eric Hawkins calls “an ambush.”

It happened around 12:30 a.m. in the area of North Main Avenue and Western Avenue, near the College of Saint Rose.

Police said the officer was conducting a traffic stop when he was shot by the suspect. The two exchanged fire.

The suspect is now deceased, according to Hawkins.

According to police, the officer attempted to stop a car for speeding, but he was unable to successfully stop the driver. Dash camera video from police shows the chase between the officer and the suspect.

A short time later, the officer allegedly saw the car parked and attempted again to make contact with the driver, but as he approached the vehicle, he was “ambushed” from behind the vehicle.

A statement from Mayor Kathy Sheehan states the officer was attempting to stop a vehicle for traffic violations when he was “ambushed in an act of depraved gun violence.”

Lee Kindlon, local defense attorney and Albany DA candidate, also shared his thoughts in a statement Wednesday.

This morning’s shooting of one of Albany’s finest, a member of APD, is, as Mayor Sheehan said, ‘an act of depraved gun violence.' We must do more to stem the flow of guns into Albany because it makes everybody less safe. My prayers are with the officer for a speedy recovery and hope the family of the deceased finds comfort as they grieve.

Body camera footage from police shows the moment the officer left the vehicle to conduct the traffic stop and was fired upon. In the video, you can hear the officer radioing "Shots fired."

***WARNING: The following footage contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.***

The investigation is ongoing.

This shooting comes on the heels of a deadly shooting in Syracuse Sunday night. In that shooting, a Syracuse Police Department officer and an Onondaga County Sheriff's Office deputy were shot and killed along with the suspect.