In a surprising turn of events, an off-duty high-ranking NYPD officer is reported to have accidentally discharged a firearm during a dispute with his daughter’s boyfriend in Rockland County this past Sunday, as revealed by law enforcement insiders.
Sources informed The Post that Assistant Chief Benjamin Gurley, who is responsible for the Bronx North command, found himself in a physical scuffle with a man late Sunday night in Haverstraw, New York. This man had allegedly been harassing Gurley’s daughter.
It appears that the individual involved in the altercation is currently romantically linked to Gurley’s daughter, according to those familiar with the situation.
Amidst the tense exchange, the police chief is said to have unintentionally fired his weapon.
Fortunately, the stray bullet did not hit anyone, though Gurley did sustain an arm injury during the brawl. He will be wearing a sling as he recovers, according to the same sources.
The Haverstraw Police Department responded to the shooting and is leading the investigation. The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division and Internal Affairs Bureau are separately probing the incident.
Sources told the New York Daily News that Gurley’s duty status has not been impacted by the accidental gunfire.
Gurley joined the NYPD as a deputy chief in 2000. He held the same position until he was promoted to assistant chief in 2023, according to his LinkedIn.
In February, the senior cop told The Post that it was frustrating to watch two decades slip by without a promotion in sight.
“If you were to put in hard work and see people pass you…you would kind of get discouraged and may not want to work as hard,” he said. “That has leveled off a lot over the past couple of years.”
The father of three is a first-generation cop born and raised in the Bronx.
Haverstraw is just 30 miles north of the Bronx.