Posted on: November 14, 2024 03:30 PM

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Queens man convicted of attempted murder in shooting of NYPD officer

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Devin Spraggins was convicted of attempted murder in the first degree for shooting NYPD Detective Brett Boller after an altercation in April 2023. The rookie officer and his partner, Officer Anthony Rock, were on routine patrol in the Jamaica business district when they confronted Spraggins after he assaulted a passenger on an MTA bus.

District Attorney Katz said: “Devin Spraggins attempted to assassinate a New York City police officer in cold blood in April 2023, after he was stopped by cops for fighting with another passenger on an MTA bus. The defendant shot Police Officer Brett Boller at point blank range, and it is only because of extraordinary medical intervention that Officer Boller is alive today and this is not a murder case. Justice was served, and I thank my prosecutors and the members of the New York City Police Department who helped secure this trial conviction.”

Spraggins, 24, of 93rd Avenue in Jamaica, was convicted by a jury of attempted murder in the first degree, assault in the first degree, aggravated assault of a police officer and assault of a police officer all pertaining to Officer Boller; of attempted assault in the first degree and menacing a police officer pertaining to Officer Rock; as well as two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, tampering with physical evidence and assault in the third degree.

He was acquitted of attempted murder of the second police officer.

Trial openings began on October 24 and closings occurred on November 12. The jury deliberated for approximately four hours.

Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder set sentencing for Spraggins on December 2. He faces up to 40 years to life in prison for the attempted murder charge.

According to the charges and trial testimony, on April 5, 2023, at approximately 3:20 p.m., Spraggins was aboard an MTA bus traveling on Jamaica Avenue when he punched a fellow passenger as the bus neared 160th Street. The driver flagged down Officer Anthony Rock for help, and Officer Rock retrieved his partner, Officer Brett Boller, who was nearby assisting with an illegally parked vehicle. Both officers had recently joined the NYPD and were patrolling the Jamaica business district.

The officers attempted to talk to Spraggins at the front door of the bus, but the defendant pushed Officer Boller and ran off. Officers Boller and Rock then pursued the suspect on foot.

Spraggins turned toward the pursuing officers and drew his gun, and in the process dropped a loaded magazine onto Jamaica Avenue. The defendant then turned and kept running away from the officers.

As Officer Boller caught up to Spraggins, the defendant turned and shot Officer Boller. The bullet pierced Officer Boller’s femoral artery and vein in his upper thigh and shattered his hip. The defendant attempted to fire again at Boller but there were no bullets left in the gun, as the defendant dropped his magazine earlier in the foot pursuit.

Moments later, Spraggins racked the slide of his gun, took a shooter’s stance and aimed at Officer Rock.

Spraggins then ran into a parking garage, where he was seen on video surveillance footage taking off his black jacket and sweatshirt and leaving in a white T-shirt.

Police found a shell casing near the shooting scene and a magazine loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition at the corner of Jamaica Avenue and 161st Street, where Spraggins was seen running from police before the shooting.

Security camera video footage showed Spraggins at 161st Street and Hillside Avenue getting into a black Nissan, identified as a for-hire Lyft vehicle that took him to a residence on 215th Street.

A search warrant executed at the property the next day produced information that led law enforcement to an address in the Bronx, where Spraggins was arrested.

Officer Boller, who was 22 at the time of the shooting, underwent surgery for his gunshot injuries at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Officer Rock, also 22 at the time, was not injured.

Officer Boller has returned to modified duty and last month was promoted to detective.

Assistant District Attorneys Kanella Georgopoulos of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau and Eric Weinstein of the Homicide Bureau are prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Michael Whitney, Chief of the Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau, and Roni C. Piplani, Deputy Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.

From Queens DA