Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Denzel Brown and Marvin Dankwah have been charged with attempted murder, attempted robbery, weapon possession and other related crimes for attempting to steal a green BMW from an off-duty police officer at gunpoint and shooting at the vehicle as the victim tried driving away. The shooting, which took place on April 27 in Long Island City, injured the officer in the leg, and required hospitalization.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, an off-duty New York City Police officer was nearly murdered by these two defendants when they attempted to carjack him and fired into his vehicle. The defendants then led cops on a chase across the borough, where they sped through multiple red lights and crashed into a marked police car. I thank the NYPD for quickly apprehending these defendants and we wish the young officer the very best as he recovers from his injuries.”

Brown, 29, and Dankwah, 26, both of Brooklyn, were arraigned today on a criminal complaint charging them with attempted murder in the second degree, attempted assault in the first degree, attempted robbery in the first degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, attempted robbery in the second degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree and unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle in the third degree.

Criminal Court Judge Nasser-Cuellar ordered the defendants to return to court May 1. If convicted of the top count, Brown and Dankwah face a potential maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

DA Katz said that, according to the charges, at approximately 6:30 a.m. on April 27, Brown and Dankwah drove a gray Nissan Altima with a West Virginia license plate and pulled over next to Officer Jason Mathew’s green BMW that was parked between two cars in front of Silvercup Studios at 45-25 21^st Street in Long Island City. Brown allegedly exited the Nissan, approached the BMW with a gun in his waistband, pulled on the car door handle and stated in sum and substance, “Get out of the car.”

Officer Mathew attempted to drive away, and Brown took the firearm from his waistband, pointed the gun at the officer and fired one time into the vehicle, striking the victim in the upper leg.

The officer sped away from the scene and was then transported to an area hospital for treatment of his injuries. The responding NYPD officers found one .380-caliber shell casing on the ground at the location and one .380-caliber bullet in the victim’s front jeans pocket.

At approximately 7:40 a.m., patrol officers in a marked police vehicle spotted the defendants speeding down Grand Central Parkway at the Astoria Boulevard exit in a damaged gray Nissan and began a pursuit. The defendants allegedly sped through the highway, caused other vehicles to swerve out of the way and drove through multiple steady red lights and stop signs before colliding with the marked patrol vehicle near 33-11 Leavitt Street in Flushing. The defendants exited the vehicle and fled on foot before being apprehended by the police.

Assistant District Attorney Danielle Catinella, of the District Attorney’s Career Criminals Major Crimes Bureau, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael Whitney, Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.