Metro

NY State Police shoot man who allegedly tried to run over officer

A man was shot in the head by a New York state trooper after he allegedly tried to mow down an officer while speeding past a DWI checkpoint on the Grand Central Parkway near LaGuardia airport.

The driver, identified by police sources as Wilton Ketter, 22, of Connecticut, tried to evade the checkpoint near Exit 7 just before 11 p.m. Friday night, and struck one of the troopers when they tried to prevent him from fleeing again — prompting the cop to fire at least six rounds, police sources said.

“Upon termination of the pursuit, a trooper tried to engage the driver who was non-compliant,” a statement from NY State Police said.

“The suspect then continued to move his vehicle toward the troopers at which point one trooper discharged his issued firearm striking the suspect,” NY State Police said in a statement.

Ketter suffered a facial fracture and had two wounds to the head.

He was taken to New York Presbyterian Hospital in Queens in critical condition with bleeding on the brain, police sources said. 

The driver was identified by police sources as Wilton Ketter. Robert Mecea
Wilton Ketter, 22, tried to evade the checkpoint near Exit 7 last night, police said.
NYPD officers investigate the Queens shooting involving NY State Troopers. Robert Mecea

A 23-year-old woman who was a passenger in the vehicle was not injured.

The NYPD and the Queens County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the incident with the New York State Police.  

The troopers were taken to the hospital for evaluation.

The driver first sped past a DWI checkpoint and then struck the officer when he was pulled over, the sources said. Robert Mecea

Ketter was arrested back in March after he was involved in a car crash in Connecticut that left two firefighters injured, according to multiple news reports.

He has two prior arrests there, police sources said.