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Suffolk County resident Jonathan R. Vazquez, age 20, of Bay Shore, was arrested on Tuesday, March 1 after a pursuit and shooting that began in Uniondale, said the Nassau County Police.
The incident began around midnight Tuesday when officers spotted Vazquez in a black Dodge Charger that matched the description of a vehicle involved in a robbery that occurred on Tuesday, Feb. 16, in Levittown, police said.
Officers activated their emergency lights and sirens and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Vazquez refused to pull over and continued on Nassau Road.
At some point, Vazquez stopped the vehicle, exited, pulled out a handgun, aimed it at officers, and fired at least two shots with Nassau County officers returning fire, police said.
At least one of the shots hit the hood of the police cruiser, police said.
That's when he re-entered his vehicle and drove to Arthur Street, where police said he abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.
He was arrested after putting the gun to his head in a residential backyard following a foot pursuit a short time later, Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Police said Vazquez was arrested without incident.
He has been charged with:
- Two counts of attempted murder of a police officer
- Criminal use of a firearm
- Two counts of criminal possession of a weapon
- Assault
He will be arraigned on Wednesday, March 2, in Hempstead.
An investigation determined Vazquez was allegedly responsible for an incident that occurred in Hempstead on Tuesday, Feb. 8.
For that crime he was charged with:
- Attempted murder
- Assault
- Criminal use of a fire
- Two counts of criminal possession of a weapon
Vazquez was also allegedly responsible for a robbery that occurred on Wednesday, Feb. 16, in Levittown.
He was charged with robbery.
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