Photo by Evan Roe of Zambrano being tackled and arrested.
An agent for the state Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement was sentenced to 100 hours of community service for accidentally shooting two people on a crowded Amsterdam Avenue block last September, according to the Post.
Victor Zambrano, 50, was out drinking with friends on Amsterdam and 82nd street on Sept. 12. The story of how he ended up shooting his weapon has varied since that night. When we first reported the news, police were saying Zambrano’s friend had taken the gun and that it discharged and hit two people as he tried to get it back. the Post story now indicates that Zambrano was unloading the gun when it fired.
“After he left the watering hole, he clumsily tried to unload his .40 caliber Glock and the weapon discharged twice, striking a 42 year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, he said.”
Zambrano was eventually cornered by officers on 84th and Amsterdam, right outside Mediterranean restaurant Bustan. One of the officers knocked the gun out of his hand.
Evan Roe, who shot the video below told us at the time that the crowds on Amsterdam that Friday night weren’t sure what was going on. “Everyone was standing there and then we all heard one sharp cracking noise, but nobody knew it was a gunshot so we all just stopped. And then a cop car sped up next to me and 2 police officers jumped out. And the shooter was standing next to me hiding his gun under his jacket. They tackled him right next to me.”
Zambrano pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault, and will stay out of jail as long as he stays out of trouble for six months. he lost his job and will have to pay the medical bills of the two victims, a 42-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman.
Glad he lost his job. How about his pension? This POS shouldn’t get a penny of tax-payer money in retirement.
If he didn’t immediately call for an ambulance and then render aid himself he should go to prison.
The system takes care of those within. An ACD and 100 hours of community service. Sweet.
“After he left the watering hole, he clumsily tried to unload his .40 caliber Glock and the weapon discharged twice, striking a 42 year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, he said.”
Yeah right. I’ve owned a Glock. One button to drop the mag, one rack to empty the chamber. You keep your finger off the trigger. Simple. We won’t even go into the race angle.
Race angle? Why must everything have an “angle” let alone a “race” angle? It was an idiot that should not have had his gun on him in the first place, before he ordered a drink. Really, race?
Lost job, non felony arrest record, restitution and two and a half weeks of community service. Seems light for a guy to tried to flee. That penalty would be about right if he had stayed behind like a decent person who had just made an incredibly stupid series of mistakes.
I can ALMOST maybe perhaps understand accidentally shooting one innocent person while unloading he gun you shouldn’t have brought drinking with you in the first place. But TWO!?!?! Was it the same bullet or did he fire twice? From what’s listed here it sounds like the story has changed a few times.
How about his right to own or use a gun, both personally and professionally? I sure hope it was revoked. But i bet it wasn’t.
A civilian would have gone to prison. There should not be two sets of rules one for police and one for the rest of us. This is outrageous decision.
The fact that he was actually fired is actually the biggest surprise to me about this story. Pretty sad reflection on official overtolerance for the few bad cops – it really poisons relations for the brave ones.