Teen Pulls BB Gun On Cops, Gets Shot In The Face

A Bronx cop shot a teenager in the face after the adolescent reached for a BB gun on Holland Avenue yesterday afternoon. A plainclothes narcotics detective fired on 15-year-old Marcus Bonner at around 5 pm, hitting the aspiring rapper in the cheek after he made a move for the authentic-looking gun. "He makes like he's putting his hands up to surrender," a police source told the Daily News. "It's a fake surrender and he reaches for his gun."

Cops were in the neighborhood for a buy-and-bust sting when they saw Bonner pull the weapon on a group of teens. The officers chased Bonner into the apartment building where he lives with his mother and sister when he reportedly reached for the pellet gun. Police sources told the tabloid that the eight-year NYPD veteran who shot Bonner was in the right: "It looks like a clean shoot."

But witnesses didn't think the shooting — which left Bonner in stable condition at Jacobi Medical Center — was so clear cut: "Rev had a BB gun and he pulled it. And they shot him. Rev was bleeding out of his mouth," said Jessica Rivera, 28, calling Marcus by his nickname. "Damn, they tried to take his head off." Bonner was charged with menacing and possession of an imitation pistol.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Ben Muessig in News on November 7, 2009 12:51 PM

Comments [rss]

carbomb

aspiring rapper? means he is still working on nursery rhymes?

Tricksta

"Rev had a BB gun and he pulled it. And they shot him. Rev was bleeding out of his mouth," said Jessica Rivera, 28, calling Marcus by his nickname. "Damn, they tried to take his head off."

Pretty much a cut-and-dry description of what happened. Where the hell do you get the idea from this statement that "witnesses didn't think the shooting was so clear cut"? The woman pretty much summed up what happened, only the dumbass "journalists" at Gothamist decided to put their own little spin on that comment.

Slow day for page hits today?

5borough

He was just turning his life around, he was starting a new job Monday, he was going to start taking care of his kids... They left that part out.

What a loser, but a Bronx Jury will make him rich.

brooklynmouthoff

My poor sweet little boy. During a drug deal he pulled a gun on kids, and then on a cop. How could they possibly think he was dangerous.

morons. people are so stupid.

It's a shame this kid got shot. But you play with guns, you get shot.

tough luck.

Maybe you stay outta trouble next time.

"bang bang!"

economycar

I dislike the police (especially the 83rd precinct, you guys are amazing, keep up the good work) however this is one time when I will side with NYPD, if a kid pulls a realistic looking gun on a cop, he's going to get shot. If it was an orange nintendo duck hunt gun, that is a little different, still not that bright. Age is not really an issue, if you're an idiot at 15, you're probably going to be an idiot at 30.

As far as the NYPD on a whole, I was just detained for 15 hours with no food, water or phone access, I was not allowed to contact an attorney. Fun.

anti-lib

15 hours for what a bike on the sidewalk

Mr Mel

It equates to Tom Wolfe's school teacher character in "Bonfire of the Vanities".

When told the student killed in a robbery was an "Honor Student" he said to the reporter that in his school the term applied to anyone that shows up regularly.

robingee

Well now he can drink from a straw without opening his mouth. He's like a juice box!

DarkGemini

Well look at that. Darwin seems to have missed once again.

fishfryin

they just showed a picture of the kids gun on nbc news...looks like a straight up handgun, not the bb gun you would envision from the above story...kid is lucky he survived and unlucky to be such a pathetic idiot

valeriob

This cop should be suspended- until he learns how to shoot more accurately, that is.

Lucky doesn't even begin to describe this animal. I wonder how many times he used this BB gun to rob someone.

Gothamist, please follow up with jail time info. I'd like to know how long this POS will be far removed from civilization.

rcltrh

"which left Bonner in stable condition at Jacobi Medical Center"

That's too bad. The police need to be trained better to actually kill someone pulling a gun on them. Only a matter of recovery time before this loser does it again.

marcasm

What does "aspiring rapper" mean anyway ? He stands on the corner with his friends and makes up rhymes ? And why is that relevant to the story ? Sounds more like he is an aspiring thug.

Spirit of 76

Nah, aspiring rappers are those weirdos you see walking down the street making up bad lyrics spoken with bad flow. It's relevant because any time you see someone claiming to be an aspiring rapper, it means they have no other prospects in life. Aspiring rapper is the ultimate fallback position for life in the hood, aside from drug dealer, of course.

interlard

What a tool. I wonder if he realizes how lucky he is to be given a second chance.

Quidnam

Something tells me no.

faprilano

just a matter of time before this kid is dead or in jail for life. idiot.

GOP

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAA. Maybe he can do a remake of Kanye's "Through The Wire."

Spirit of 76

"Rev had a BB gun and he pulled it. And they shot him. Rev was bleeding out of his mouth," said Jessica Rivera, 28, calling Marcus by his nickname. "Damn, they tried to take his head off."

It's too bad they didn't. With friends like this idiot girl, he'll never learn his lesson and his life will only continue to head downhill.

swoop

Cops enforce laws. They shouldn't be allowed to kill people. If he shot him in the arm or leg, fine. he was defending himself. I think the cop should be fired for his first shot being a head shot.