South Jersey man allegedly shot by off-duty NYPD officer in ‘random act of violence’ sues NYC for $300 million

A Voorhees man who became quadriplegic after he was allegedly shot by an off-duty New York City police officer in May is seeking $300 million in a federal lawsuit filed against the city and its mayor, alleging that the police department allowed an officer with known alcohol addiction to carry a gun.

Kishan Patel, 30, suffered a severe brain injury after Hieu Tran, an off-duty NYPD officer working in the public information unit, allegedly shot him in Camden County. Tran, 27, was arrested in June and charged with attempted murder and other counts.

Tran allegedly shot Patel when the two were briefly stopped at a red light on Route 73 in Voorhees Township on May 17, leading Patel to lose consciousness and run the red light, according to surveillance camera footage described in the lawsuit. Police found bullet casings that matched those used in NYPD-issued firearms, according to prosecutors. The off-duty officer allegedly fled the scene.

» READ MORE: NYPD officer charged in Camden County shooting

Patel was treated at Cooper University Hospital for injuries from a gunshot wound to the head and the car crash, the lawsuit states. Patel suffered brain and spine injuries, rendering him quadriplegic and requiring around-the-clock care, his lawyers said.

“By all accounts, this appears to have been a completely random act of violence,” states the lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in the Southern District of New York.

Robin Lord, the attorney who currently represents Tran, said that her client maintains his innocence.

“There is much more to the story than what has been reported,” Lord said in a statement.

At a July detention hearing, Ross Gigliotti, who represented Tran at the time, said that his client had “work-related” post-traumatic stress disorder that he has been “self medicating with alcohol for years,” according to a transcript of the proceeding attached to the complaint. Gigliotti conceded to the judge that Tran’s commanding officers knew about his drinking problem and told him to get help, but Tran didn’t.

“This officer had a history of work-related PTSD, had a serious alcohol issue, serious drug dependency, and his commanding officer knew about it — and they did nothing about it,” said Joseph Marrone, the lawyer representing Patel and his family in the civil suit. “To me, that’s the kill shot in the entire case.”

The lawsuit accuses the New York City and the NYPD of a pattern dating back to 1995 of allowing officers to remain armed despite alcohol-use problems. It names the city, Mayor Eric Adams, former NYPD commissioner Edward Caban, and Tran as defendants.

The NYPD declined to comment on ongoing litigation. Adams’ office did not respond to requests for comment. The criminal case against Tran remains ongoing.