NYPD Officer Calls Gunman a 'Coward' During Sentencing for Shooting Incident

A gang member responsible for shooting two NYPD officers during a Manhattan robbery has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. The sentence was handed down after one of the injured officers, NYPD Lt. Carl Johnson, described the shooter, Joshua Dorsett, as a "coward" in a victim impact statement.

"There was no need for you to fire that gun only to serve your false sense of entitlement and power," Johnson wrote in the statement, which was read aloud in Manhattan Supreme Court. Dorsett, 24, admitted to wounding the two officers after he robbed a Canal Street mahjong parlor on August 1, 2024. The bullet that struck Johnson in the groin also grazed Sgt. Christopher Leap.

Johnson's statement emphasized his commitment to protecting the city, stating, "every step I take, every time I lift my child, I am reminded of the sacrifices I make protecting this city." He expressed hope that Dorsett would make a positive impact upon his release.

Dorsett, identified as a member of the Up the Hill gang, had previously expressed a sense of grievance after his arrest, reportedly stating, "one of y’all get shot and it’s a f—king problem." He pleaded guilty on August 10 to charges of aggravated assault on a police officer involving a deadly weapon and robbery.

Prosecutors detailed the events of the robbery, where Dorsett allegedly stormed the parlor and held approximately 20 people at gunpoint. When officers Johnson and Leap, of the seventh precinct, spotted Dorsett minutes later and attempted to restrain him, he fired his .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Matthew Sears commended the officers' actions, calling their pursuit and apprehension "an extraordinary example of strength and diligence."

Both Johnson and Leap were promoted to special assignment sergeants a year after the incident, an act that Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described as them being "the very best."

Dorsett declined to comment at his sentencing, but his attorney, Dean Vigliano, indicated plans to appeal the sentence. Vincent Vallelong, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association union, thanked the court and prosecutors for ensuring "justice was served," highlighting the officers' bravery in apprehending the suspect.