NYPD cop who shot New Jersey driver in 2024 road-rage incident pleads guilty
The NYPD officer who shot and paralyzed a New Jersey man during a road rage incident while driving home drunk from a wedding in May 2024 pleaded guilty Wednesday to a charge of attempted murder, an attorney for the victim’s family said Thursday.
Hieu Tran, a three-year veteran assigned to the NYPD press bureau, pulled up alongside Kishan Patel, 30, on a road in Camden County, about 90 miles south of New York, around 11:15 p.m. on May 17, 2024, and fired several shots at Patel’s car, hitting the young businessman in the back of the head. Tran then screamed in the intersection and hit a second car, seriously injuring a nurse who was heading home from work.
At the time, Tran was depressed, drinking heavily and under tremendous pressure at work, a problem his New York police commanders were aware of but did not discuss, based on an interview he gave to a psychologist after his arrest, The News previously reported. Patel, who was engaged and involved in running the family businesses, suffered injuries that left him quadriplegic.
Barry Williams for the New York Daily News
NYPD Officer Hieu Tran is pictured in custody leaving Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday, June 7, 2024. (Barry Williams for the New York Daily News)
Tran subsequently fled the scene and returned home. Detectives were able to identify his car and track him down, eventually arresting him on June 6, The News previously reported. The court-appointed psychologist said Tran used alcohol to cope with “years of untreated post-traumatic stress disorder,” a condition he attributed to his responsibilities in the NYPD press office, a romantic breakup and family problems.
Tran is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 15 and remains incarcerated in the Camden County Jail. His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A spokeswoman for the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately respond to an email.
“Kishan Patel’s family is relieved that NYPD Officer Hieu Tran has acknowledged his role in this tragic and very necessary incident and will now face the consequences of his actions,” said Joseph Marrone, the attorney representing Patel’s family.
“Mr. Patel’s family can now focus their attention on demanding that the NYPD make immediate changes to its toxic atmosphere where alcoholism and mental health issues are rampant among the rank and file.”
October 3, 2024: An armed “time bomb” tears a family apart
New York Daily News Front page of the New York Daily News on October 3, 2024: “Suit: Man left paralyzed in road rage shooting after NYPD lets troubled officer keep his gun.” » Manjina Patel says her son Kishan (inset) is fighting for his life after NYPD Officer Hieu Tran shot him during a road rage incident in New Jersey.
Marrone said the incident left Patel in 24-hour care at a specialty rehabilitation hospital in Texas and his family with a mountain of medical bills. It’s unclear whether Patel will speak or walk again, Marrone said.
“We hope that Mayor-elect Mamdani will take a close look at this matter and direct the NYPD to adopt new policies and procedures designed to prevent this from happening to another family,” Marrone added.
The family’s lawsuit remains pending in Manhattan Federal Court.
