NEW YORK (AP) - An off-duty police officer witnessed a fatal shooting in a New York City deli and tackled and disarmed the gunman, police said.
The shooting happened at 6:15 p.m. Monday inside a deli in the Jamaica section of Queens. Police said 63-year-old Steven Cohen shot a customer in the stomach.
Officer Jason Maharaj tackled Cohen, wrestled the gun away from him and held him until uniformed officers arrived, police said. Police Commissioner Dermot Shea tweeted, “On & off-duty, your NYPD cops put their lives on the line to protect New Yorkers - it’s what they do.”
The shooting victim, Mohmediyan Tarwala, 26, was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Cohen, who police say is homeless, was arrested on charges including murder and criminal use of a firearm. It’s not clear if he has an attorney who can respond to the charges.
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