Ex-Girlfriend of NYPD Shooter Expected to Survive

Lost in much of the coverage of the shooting deaths of two NYPYD on officers on Saturday is the story of shooter Ismaaiyl Brinsley’s third victim, ex-girlfriend Shaneka Thompson.

Brinsley shot 29-year-old Thompson, described as his “on and off again ex-girlfriend,” before he fled to New York and gunned down Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu. Reports have now surfaced that Thompson initially tried to stop Brinsley from committing suicide only for him to later turn the gun on her.

An account given to the Associated Press by Thompson’s neighbor, Yevette Seay paints a picture of the scene:

“I could hear something going on and it wasn’t pleasant. Then I heard some screaming, then she went out onto her balcony and screamed for help,” Seay said.

According to Seay, Thompson said: “‘He shot me, I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die.'”

Seay said Thompson wanted her to open up her door, but she didn’t know what was going on, so she kept it closed and called 911. She said there was blood all over the carpet in the hallway.

Seay said police arrived in about seven or eight minutes.

According to Mediaite, Thomspon “is a health insurance specialist with the Veterans Administration and an Air Force reservist.” She was taken to the University of Maryland Medical Center where she is in critical condition but is expected to survive.