By Patrick Donachie
Police were investigating the possibility that a state correction officer was targeted in a home invasion attempt in Jamaica Sunday evening in an incident that left the officer and his wife injured from several gunshot wounds. The NYPD also released a video of a vehicle leaving the area at the time of shooting, and the officer’s union posted a reward for information leading to the suspects.
Police sources indicated to the New York Post that the officer being targeted was “the most probable cause” behind the shootings, though they had not yet ascertained if there was a specific reason the officer may have been singled out because of his profession or work.
Officers responded to a 911 call of two people shot at 6:56 p.m., according to the NYPD, at a home near the corner of Mathias Avenue and 166th Street. When the police arrived, they found Henry Wright, 58, the state corrections officer, unconscious and unresponsive on the ground with several gunshot wounds to the torso. Officers also found the officer’s wife Sharon Floyd Wright, 52, with a gunshot wound to the shoulder.
EMS workers responded to the scene as well, and took both victims to Jamaica Hospital. Officers from both the NYPD and the state Corrections Department gathered at the hospital to support the officer. Wright underwent surgery and was still hospitalized in critical condition, while his wife was treated and released from the hospital.
Police described the two suspects as black males between the ages of 20 and 30, both wearing black hooded sweatshirts and blue jeans. The two suspects forced their way into the house and shot both victims, police said. The NYPD also said one of the suspects fled eastbound on Mathias, while the other fled westbound. Police released a video of what was described as a light-colored 2011-2015 Hyundai Elantra. In the video, the car in question can be seen in the background, reversing in the middle of an intersection. Police were seeking any information the public had about the car.
Floyd Wright managed to strike one of the two suspects with a hammer during the home invasion, according to the Post. She was described as a strong “no-nonsense” person by a neighbor who was not surprised she stood up to the attackers. Wright has been a corrections officer for 35 years, according to the New York State Correctional Officers Police Benevolent Associations. The group announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever shot the couple.
Police said no arrests had been made and the investigation was ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident was encouraged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS or to submit tips online at www.nypdc
Reach reporter Patrick Donachie by e-mail at pdona
