An New York Police Department officer shot a driver in a road rage confrontation in New Jersey, then fled the scene, authorities said Friday as he was extradited to New Jersey on attempted murder charges.
The officer, Hieu Tran, who works in the social media unit for the NYPD’s media office, has been suspended without pay.
The handcuffed officer stood head down through much of his Friday extradition proceeding court hearing in Manhattan, his voice quivering as he stated his name for the official record.
Tran, who was also charged with aggravated assault and weapons possession for an unlawful purpose, waived extradition. Assistant District Attorney Todd Fitch said Tran was expected to be driven Friday afternoon to Camden County.
The shooting happened May 17 in Voorhees Township, the Camden County prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
The victim, a 30-year-old man, was involved in a multi-vehicle crash at Route 73 and Cooper Road. Police quickly realized the victim had been shot before the crash, the statement said.
“During the investigation, detectives utilized surveillance video, cell phone records, and ballistics evidence to identify Tran as the individual responsible for shooting the victim during an apparent road rage incident,” the release said. “Ballistics evidence collected from the scene was ultimately linked to Tran’s department-issued firearm.”
New Jersey court documents obtained by The New York Daily News state that Tran shot the victim in the driver seat of his car, causing him to swerve into oncoming traffic and hit another vehicle driven by a woman.
A court officer at the Manhattan hearing said Tran fled New Jersey after the shooting.
The victim was rushed to Cooper University Hospital. The release said he is still in treatment.
Tran was arrested Thursday.
The 27-year-old officer was assigned to DCPI, the department’s press office, last December and has been on the force since February 2021.
Two family members appeared at the court hearing but refused comment.
“Good luck to you, sir,” Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Pamela Goldsmith told him before remanding Tran to a holding cell where he spent several hours before being loaded into the back of an N.J. police vehicle.
Tran had no comment and appeared to begin to sob once in the back of the car.
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