An off-duty NYPD cop opened shot at three alleged thieves on a Manhattan street when she thought they were reaching for a weapon on Tuesday, cops and sources said.
The 31-year-old officer, assigned to the Bronx’s 40th Precinct, was about to head to work around 5:45 a.m. when her neighbor alerted her to the suspicious crew at West 148 Street and Broadway in Hamilton Heights, the sources said.
While inside her own car, she spotted three men trying to steal a catalytic converter from another parked vehicle, according to police.
The off-duty cop then began filming the dodgy trio – which they noticed and tried to block her vehicle, the sources said.
Then at least one of the three began reaching into their waistband to grab what appeared to be a weapon, according to the sources.
In turn, the officer fired off one round, but no one immediately appeared to have been struck, cops said.
It was unclear whether she fired from inside or outside her own vehicle.
The suspects fled the scene in a dark-colored BMW, police said.
They had not been caught by Tuesday evening, cops said.