Officials: NYC correction officer from LI kills cop, self

A New York City correction officer who lived in Hempstead shot and killed a Springfield, Mass., police officer Monday, authorities said, before he then critically wounded his estranged girlfriend and shot and killed himself.

Correction Officer Shawn Bryan, 35, of 22 Wendell St. in Hempstead, and Springfield, Mass., police Officer Kevin Ambrose were rushed to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass., by ambulance Monday afternoon, police said, where both were pronounced dead in the emergency room.

Charlene Mitchell, 29, Bryan's estranged girlfriend and the mother of their 1-year-old child, underwent surgery Monday for a gunshot wound at that same hospital, police said.

Mitchell had obtained a restraining order against Bryan shortly before the shootings, police said.

Ambrose, a 36-year veteran of the Springfield police force, was responding to a 911 domestic call from Mitchell when he was shot and killed. Ambrose was a married father of two and had one grandchild, police said.

Bryan was a correction officer who worked at Rikers Island, officials said. Ambrose arrived in a one-man patrol car and found Mitchell outside an apartment building, police said.

Springfield police Commissioner William Fitchet said in a news conference that several officers were responding to the 911 call, but Ambrose arrived first. "The female called, stating that he [Bryan] was in the area, and that she was in fear for her life," Fitchet said.

Ambrose met them outside the building and then accompanied them back into a third-floor apartment, Fitchet said. But before entering the apartment door, Bryan pushed Mitchell inside and went in, attempting to close it before the officer could get in, Fitchet said.

The officer was trying to force his way in when Bryan shot him once through the door, and then opened the door and shot him again, Fitchet said.

He then shot and wounded Mitchell, Fitchet said, before leaving the building. Then, in his car, Bryan fatally shot himself.

The Springfield Republican newspaper reported that the court ordered Bryan to stay at least 100 yards from Mitchell and to have no contact with her or their child, and to surrender his firearms to police. Police said the order allowed Bryan to get some belongings from Mitchell.

In the restraining order, posted on the newspaper's website, Mitchell wrote, "Shawn has been physical to me. He has always told me that he is crazy and his head is not good. I have had a problem with him from the day we started dating."

Fitchet said Bryan apparently shot himself in the chest in his car outside Mitchell's building. Officers arriving to back up Ambrose found all three.

With Nicholas Spangler and AP