Nassau Man Indicted For Shootout With Police: DA

ROOSEVELT, NY — A Roosevelt man was arraigned Friday on multiple counts of attempted murder for a shootout with police officers that occurred in Roosevelt in late December.

Christopher Anderson, 25, was arraigned on four counts of first-degree attempted murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and leaving the scene of an accident without reporting. Anderson was remanded into custody and is due back in court on March 4. If convicted, he faces 40 years to life in prison on each of the top charges.

“The defendant is accused of firing several shots at a group of police officers at close range after fleeing a stop and recklessly speeding through neighborhoods until the car was boxed in,” said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. “It is a miracle that none of the officers were killed that evening. I have assigned this case to my Homicide Bureau to vigorously prosecute these allegations.”

According to Singas, on the night of Dec. 29, 2020, three Hempstead police detectives and one police officer were investigating a report of an armed driver at a gas station near Greenwich Street and Baldwin Road.

As the police pulled up, they activated the lights on their unmarked car. As they approached the car on foot, Singas said that Anderson drove off, hit a car at the gas station and then fled the scene.

The police gave chase, Singas said, and followed Anderson for one and a half miles. The chase ended at a home in Roosevelt on East Pennywood Avenue. Singas said Anderson wedged his car next to another one in the driveway. As he tried to get out of the car, Singas said the officers approached. That was when Anderson fired at least three shots at them, Singas said. The officers returned fire, but no one was hit.

Anderson had a passenger in his car during the shootout, Singas said. They were not injured.

Singas said that Anderson pulled himself out of the car during the shootout and fled. He was found in the backyard of a home the next day by Nassau County police.