(NewsNation) — Several police officers have been wounded and some killed after a series of unrelated shootings across the country.
In the past week work or so, a string of confrontations have happened in various locations.
In New York, an NYPD officer was shot in the leg in Jamaica, Queens, on Tuesday by a suspect who had 17 prior arrests for murder, robbery and drugs and was on parole.
He had committed two robberies and opened fire when officers confronted him, hitting the 36-year-old officer in the leg. He returned fire, killing the suspect and is now in stable condition.
In Chicago, an off-duty detective intervened to stop a stabbing that happened in a park and was grazed by a bullet in the process. The stabbing victim died at the scene.
Also in Chicago, a retired police sergeant was critically injured after being shot multiple times Monday, with police still searching for the suspects involved.
On the West Coast, in Long Beach, California, a tense standoff near a church ended in gunfire despite hours of deescalation attempts, the suspect and police exchanged fire. The suspect was killed, and an officer was hit in the arm but is expected to recover.
Last, in Kentucky, a traffic stop involving a stolen car escalated into a violent struggle when the 19-year-old suspect resisted arrest. Two officers were shot, both hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and the suspect was arrested.
In New York, people are concerned that there aren’t enough police officers on the streets. The NYPD and Mayor Eric Adams announced there will be more than 1,000 new officers hitting the streets after recent graduations.
The holidays usually come with an uptick in time as well as an increase in officers on the street after new classes of police graduate.
There has been a unified call from leaders for stricter measures against gun violence and more appreciation for law enforcement as well as reminders for people to be aware of their surroundings and speak up if they see something.