Police Shoot Suspect Near New Westbury Plaza

A Brooklyn man was shot by police and arrested Tuesday less than 500 feet from the brand new Gallery at Westbury Plaza after allegedly assaulting an officer.

According to Nassau County detectives, around 5:05 p.m., Third Precinct officers responded to 1100 Old Country Road in the Best Buy parking lot to investigate a white minivan which was suspected to be involved in numerous past larcenies in the area.

When officers arrived, they located the minivan and approached it, police said. A plain clothes officer opened the driver's side door and identified himself.

The driver of the vehicle, Andrew L. Howard, 33, of Brooklyn, slammed the door on the hand of the officer and attempted to flee with the officer's hand stuck in the door, police said. As he attemped to flee, Howard struck an unmarked Bureau of Special Operations vehicle which had come to assist.

A second officer at the scene discharged one shot from his firearm, striking Howard in the leg and successfully stopping him from furthering injuring the officer whose hand was stuck in the door, police said.

Howard was taken into custody and transported to Nassau University Medical Center for treatment of his injury, police said. The injured officer suffered a crushed and fractured finger and was treated and released. The investigation is ongoing.

Howard is charged with assault in the second degree, criminal mischief in the third degree and obstructing government administration in the second degree. He is scheduled to be arraigned in the hospital.