Feb. 17--A Buffalo police officer shot a 21-year-old man after a chase and struggle over a rifle late Thursday night in the city's Genesee-Moselle neighborhood.
Joseph L. Craig, of Wyoming Avenue, was listed in serious condition Friday evening at Erie County Medical Center. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, menacing and obstruction of governmental administration and drug possession, according to police reports.
Craig was captured by Officer Kelvin L. Sharpe in front of 258 Stevens Ave. after a foot chase during which they both jumped over a fence and briefly struggled.
Craig was accused of carrying two baggies filled with powder and crack cocaine.
The Homicide Squad and Internal Affairs Division were called in to investigate, which is standard procedure when a firearm is discharged by an officer, said Buffalo police spokesman Michael J. DeGeorge.
The police department has not released the name of the officer who wounded Craig. However, police reports obtained by The Buffalo News confirmed that Sharpe captured Craig, who was allegedly carrying a black Saiga assault rifle. Also, the menacing charge is linked to Craig allegedly putting Sharpe in a situation where he faced "imminent serious physical injury."
The incident began just after 9:30 p.m. Thursday when Sharpe and Officer Elizabeth Baker saw Craig walking in the middle of Moselle Street. Craig was reportedly carrying the assault rifle, wrapped inside a black plastic bag.
A slim man wearing a gray hoodie accompanied Craig. Baker saw what appeared to be a black handgun in the pouch of that man's hoodie.
When the officers pulled over their patrol car, the other man "pulled out the handgun from the pouch and turned around, fleeing on foot southbound," according to police reports.
At that point, Craig -- who it was later learned had previously been convicted of disorderly conduct in 2007 and a drug charge last year -- ran the other way past the parked patrol car with Sharpe in pursuit. Sharpe soon realized Craig was carrying a long gun with a narrow barrel.
During the foot chase, according to police reports, Craig briefly turned and faced Sharpe and pointed the rifle at him before darting into a vacant lot and throwing the rifle over a fence, which both he and Sharpe hopped. The officer was able to grab Craig's hoodie as they began to fight.
Though Craig managed to push Sharpe off him and run onto Stevens Street, the officer caught him in the rear of 258 Stevens and took control of the assault rifle, according to police reports.
Though police officials Friday night refused to release specifics of the incident, it is clear that at some point one of the arresting officers fired his or her service weapon at Craig, wounding him.
Thomas H. Burton, attorney for the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, told The News Friday: "It's not surprising you get yourself shot when you don't obey an order to show your hands, after you fought over a weapon with an officer in a darkened backyard."
Burton, indicating he knew which officer fired at Craig, would only say that the officer "is hardworking, and fortunately went home in one piece on Thursday."
Burton said of Craig: "It takes a certain level of criminal brazenness to prance down an inner-city street carrying an assault [rifle] even though you have an extensive criminal history."
Police are continuing to search for the armed man who escaped Thursday night.
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