Two New York City police officers shot, are in 'critical' condition

NEW YORK: Two New York City police officers responding to a domestic violence call were shot on Friday and are in critical condition, according to the police department.

A suspect was also shot, though the person's condition was not known. No other details of the incident have been released by the police department.

The New York Times, citing unnamed officials, and other outlets reported that the two officers had died. The Times later reported that one officer had died and one was fighting for his life at the Harlem Hospital.

But Fabien Levy, a press secretary for the mayor's office, wrote on Twitter that "reports of two officers being killed in the line of duty have not been confirmed by NYPD or the hospital."

Levy confirmed on Twitter that two officers had been shot in Harlem on Friday evening and that Mayor Eric Adams would provide a briefing on the incident on Friday night.

A total of four New York City police officers have been shot this week.

One officer was shot in the leg on Tuesday as he scuffled with an armed teenager. Another officer was also shot in the leg on Thursday after a man fired through the door of a home that was being searched for drugs. Neither officer was killed in those shootings.

The violence is an early challenge for Adams, a retired police officer who took over as mayor on Jan. 1.

Adams was elected after putting public safety at the center of his campaign. New York has seen a spike in violent crimes during the pandemic.