NYPD: Close to an arrest in shooting of Jets' cornerback Kris Boyd

Detectives are close to making an arrest in connection with the weekend shooting of Jets cornerback Kris Boyd outside a Manhattan restaurant, a top NYPD official said Thursday.

In a briefing with reporters, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said a man they had previously identified on surveillance video as a person of interest in the shooting had been tracked down through a combination of investigative steps, but he would not publicly identify the person.

Even so, his office was "very close" Thursday to making an arrest. Boyd was shot and critically wounded early Sunday outside Sei Less, a restaurant on West 38th Street.

Boyd remained hospitalized Thursday, his condition now stable.

Primarily a special-teams player unable to play because of a shoulder injury, Boyd, 29, was shot once in the abdomen, possibly by a round fired from a 9 mm handgun, Kenny said. A total of two shots were fired, according to the NYPD. 

After the bullet penetrated Boyd’s stomach, it traveled to his right lung and remained Thursday in a pulmonary artery, according to Kenny, who added that doctors were further evaluating the injury to determine the next medical step. 

Boyd posted an Instagram story showing him in his hospital bed, with a caption that said he's "coming along, starting to breathe on my own now. Sincerely appreciate everyone!"

The image contained a headline that read: "God is real, God is powerful!" and "I'm sorry I have no words at the moment. Just grateful!"

Boyd had been visiting the restaurant with Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood, Jets receiver Irvin Charles and a man from Texas when they had words as they entered the location with a group of four or five other men, Kenny said. Boyd’s group only stayed in the restaurant for a short while, the police have said, and upon exiting the building again, had words with the men outside.

Kenny noted that the group outside the restaurant had initially made derogatory comments about the way Boyd and the other players were dressed and repeated those remarks when Boyd’s group left, sparking the final confrontation just before the shooting. The group of men outside the establishment had earlier been inside for about an hour eating before Boyd and his friends arrived, Kenny added.

Immediately after the shooting, men in the group that had argued with Boyd and his party rushed to a garage next door and spedaway in a BMW without paying and crashing through the gate, Kenny said.

Robbery did not appear to be the motive in the shooting, Kenny added, noting that along with two shell casings they recovered, a wrist watch valued at more than $180,000 was found on the sidewalk outside the restaurant and as of Thursday had yet to be claimed. 

With AP

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.