Photo: Nassau County Police Department
An armed suspect was taken down by the actions of a quick-thinking police officer in Long Island. Officers were called to a North Bellmore intersection near a 7-Eleven after receiving reports of somebody waving around a gun and firing it into the air.
When officers arrived, the suspect started pointing the gun at officers and other drivers. As the suspect pointed the gun at their head, one of the officers used his police cruiser to strike the suspect, knocking them to the ground.
Video captured the moment when the suspect was sent tumbling to the ground as officers rushed over and detained them.
The suspect, who was wearing women's clothes, was identified as 31-year-old Kiber Calderon. Officials said that Calderon has also used the identity of a 33-year-old woman named Hanna Carillo.
Calderon was taken to the hospital with a minor injury. He is also undergoing a psychiatric evaluation. The officer was also taken to the hospital.
Officials said that Calderon is facing multiple charges, including menacing, reckless endangerment, menacing a police officer, criminal contempt of court, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a firearm.
Calderon was previously arrested twice for burglary in New York City. He was released without bail in both instances.
Officials praised the officer for using his cruiser to stop Calderon. Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said the officer decided not open fire because there were too many bystanders in the area who could have been hit by errant shots.
"I asked him at the hospital why and he said, 'If I fired and I missed, there were people standing behind me,' so that officer made a sound decision, a very good decision, and because of that decision, probably saved the lives of not others but himself and the individual with that gun," Ryder said.