During the raid to clear anti-Israel protesters from Columbia University's Hamilton Hall, an NYPD officer accidentally fired his gun, police sources told the New York Post.
According to Douglas Cohen, a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office, the officer did not appear to aim the weapon at anyone and no one was injured in the incident.
The Post's sources told the outlet the Tuesday night weapon discharge was likely accidental.
The New York Daily News reported the incident occurred shortly after officers with the NYPD's Emergency Service Unit entered Hamilton Hall. While on the first floor of the building, an officer using his firearm's flashlight to navigate accidentally pulled the trigger, police said.
The bullet struck a wall a few feet away and the only people within "sight or sound" of the shot were NYPD officers, police said. The protesters were in a different part of the building when the round was fired.
The District Attorney's Police Accountability Unit is investigating the shooting.
"It is our policy to review such incidents," Cohen told the Post.
Journalists were blocked from getting too close to the operation by the NYPD, but they reportedly witnessed the suspects being walked out in zip-tie handcuffs from a nearby area.
In bodycam footage of the raid, which was turned over to the district attorney's office for its probe, several officers can be seen drawing their guns and sweeping one of the rooms after breaking down the barricaded door.
Officers were also seen deploying flash-bang stun grenades in the footage after they cut through one of several barricades.
In the videos, there was little contact between the officers and the protesters, except for when an officer pushed a person with a ski mask over his face and an improvised shield duct-taped to his arm.
"Put it down, you're going to get hurt," the officer said, forcing the protester to the ground.
An NYPD spokesman told the Daily News that officers arrested a total of 282 people as they cleared out anti-Israel protesters who had taken over Hamilton Hall and the quad at City College.
Of that number, 192 were released with summonses and 16 were given desk appearance tickets, the outlet reported.
According to a Manhattan District Attorney's office spokesman, another 74 people were arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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