A Dominican national from the Bronx was killed in a hail of police bullets Thursday following he opened fire on officers who allegedly found him shoplifting at the apartment of his ex-girlfriend, who had accused him of rape.
Officers were responding to a call from an apartment building on Bronx Blvd. at E. 224th St. in Wakefield shortly following 1:30 p.m. when they encountered Yoskar Feliz, 27, inside the apartment from the first floor, police sources said.
Happy broke into it apartment on January 9 and allegedly raped his ex-girlfriend, chillingly telling her, “I deserve it. I’m going to die anyway,” according to a court filing.
On Thursday, that prediction came true.
The building supervisor saw Feliz enter, through a security camera, and when cops arrived, they found the ex-girlfriend outside, the sources said.
“He’s inside,” said Feliz’s ex.
The agents entered the apartment and the suspect refused to drop the weapon, the department head of the police told reporters. new york police, Kenneth Corey.
One of the officers then fired a Taser at the suspect, Corey said. “The male ran into a room, fired two shots, broke a window and fled,” Corey said.
Feliz then ran out into the street and across a park, as officers gave chase and backup arrived, Corey said.
Feliz turned toward the officers, gun drawn, as he stood by the Bronx River, and three officers opened fire, striking him in the torso and leg, Corey said.
The gun was recovered by the new york police, following the officers fired shots.
Cops provided first aid, but Feliz later succumbed to his injuries at Jacobi Medical Center, police said.
None of the officers were injured, although they went to an area hospital for evaluation, possibly from ringing in their ears following firing a gun, the sources said.
Corey said the suspect had a criminal history, with two prior felony arrests and one misdemeanor bust.
When Feliz was arrested in August on charges of holding up a Verizon store in the Bronx, he was bailed out by his ex, sources said. That case was still pending Thursday, court records show. He was accused of pulling a gun inside the Riverdale store on Aug. 9, forcing staff to take him to a secure room, and stealing $30,000 worth of phones and electronic devices.