2 cops killed in upstate New York shootout near Syracuse

Two upstate police officers and an armed suspect were killed in a Sunday night shootout near Syracuse, according to authorities.

A member of the Syracuse police and a deputy in the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office died after pursuing the suspect to a residence in Salina, N.Y., the Syracuse Police Department said Monday morning.

The cops had chased after the driver of a “suspicious vehicle” who refused an attempted traffic stop about 7 p.m. and fled from the Tipperary Hill district of west Syracuse, according to a statement from the police department.

The Onondaga County sheriff, Toby Shelley, told reporters that the vehicle was believed to be stolen.

In a statement, Mayor Ben Walsh said Monday is a “dark day for Syracuse.”

“This is our worst nightmare come true,” he added. “Our thoughts are with the families of those two officers, those two heroes.”

Officials did not immediately identify the officers or the suspect. All three were transported to Upstate University Hospital after the exchange of gunfire, authorities said.

The shootout took place in the Liverpool section of Salina. Liverpool is located a 6-mile drive from the Tipperary Hill area.

The Syracuse Police Department and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office were engaged in an active investigation into the incident on Monday, according to the sheriff’s office.

In a statement, Gov. Hochul, a Buffalo Democrat, said she was “horrified by the senseless killing” of the two law enforcement officers, and that her “prayers are with their families, loved ones, and their colleagues.”

“New York will never forget their heroism and service,” the governor added.