Well, at least it wasn’t a member of the NYPD this time. A New York state narcotics officer named Victor Zambrano was arrested on Friday night after he shot two people on a crowded Upper West Side street. He was off-duty and, yes, drunk when this all went down.
49-year-old Zambrano’s relationship with his victims — a 32-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man — isn’t clear. Police told NBC New York that he “apparently did not know the couple,” but the New York Daily News describes them as Zambrano’s “pals” and “drinking buddies.” It seems entirely possible that they met while they were drinking somewhere around Amsterdam Avenue and 82nd Street.
According to the Daily News, the trouble started when the woman asked to hold Zambrano’s gun. He gave it to her, but “quickly demanded it back.” An argument ensued, and Zambrano “fired a round.” One of the bullets ricocheted off the ground and struck the woman’s calf, while her boyfriend was hit in the ankle.
As people just trying to enjoy the start of the weekend ducked for cover, the man began chasing Zambrano, who turned to shoot at him again. It seems that he misfired, causing “a live round to fall to the ground,” the Daily News reports. “[The shooter] was fucked up,” said a witness.
Plainclothes officers then surrounded Zambrano, who refused to drop his gun. Eventually, one of the cops knocked the weapon out of Zambrano’s hand and wrestled him to the ground.
The victims were treated at Bellevue and seem to be fine, all things considered. WABC reports that Zambrano is being charged with criminal possession of a weapon, resisting arrest, and assault. Cops! They get wasted and shoot people way more often than you’d like to think.
