‘Hero’ off-duty corrections officer prevents potential mass shooting in Queens

The actions of a quick-thinking off-duty corrections officer appears to have prevented yet another mass-shooting incident Sunday evening.

Correction Officer David Donegan, who was armed, was at a memorial event Sunday night in Queens when a man pulled out a gun and pointed it at the crowd, Fox 5 New York reported.

Donegan made a quick decision to fire at the man, striking him in the torso. There was reportedly a second gunman who returned fire and hit the officer in the leg — both Donegan and the first gunman suffered non-life-threatening injuries. ABC 7 New York reported that there was a third man shot in the exchange of gunfire.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams called Donegan a hero.

“He showed heroic actions tonight, and because of that I believe he saved the lives of other innocent people in this community,” Adams said during a news conference. “He’s a hero. Taking proper action while off duty is one of the most difficult things to do.”

“Yesterday evening, as a crowd of people were observing an event remembering the passing of a friend, two individuals pulled out weapons and pointed them, firing at the crowd including our Correction Officer, David Donegan. Thankfully, Officer Donegan, who was off duty at the time, immediately pulled out his weapon and engaged them, firing several shots. During the exchange of shots fired, our officer was hit in the leg and transferred to a nearby hospital,” said Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association President Benny Boscio, according to FOX 5 New York.

“While the police investigation remains ongoing, one thing is crystal clear, had our officer not exercised his training and made a split second decision, this incident could have cost many innocent people their lives, including his own. His actions were nothing short of heroic,” Boscio added.

Donegan was discharged from the hospital later that evening.

The incident took place one day before a mentally disturbed rapper gunned down innocent Americans attending an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois, killing six and injuring dozens more.

Robert “Bobby” Crimo was identified as the shooter and had an apparent obsession with violence and gave off multiple warning signs. A common trait among those who engage in such behavior.

Mass shootings are all but becoming a trend in America and the left is capitalizing on the opportunity to push for gun control, although mental illness is clearly a problem that must be addressed.

With the help of a handful of squishy Republican lawmakers who caved to the prescribed media narrative, the Democrat-run Congress passed a gun safety bill the media quickly dubbed “the most significant federal gun restrictions in decades.”

Passed after the shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, president Biden signed into law a bill that strengthen background checks for those under 21, close the so-called boyfriend loophole and incentivize states to pass red-flag laws.

“Today, we say more than enough. We say more than enough,” Biden said at the signing. “At a time when it seems impossible to get anything done in Washington, we are doing something consequential.”

Tom Tillison

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