Sgt. Michael Miller (New York Police Department)
A quick-handed NYPD sergeant stopped a violent felon from shooting him in the gut by jamming his ring finger under the hammer of the felon’s .38 revolver, cops said today.
Sgt. Michael Miller and Officer William Reddin were on patrol when they noticed a livery cab speeding eastbound on Quincy Street near Malcolm X Boulevard at about 4 a.m. today. The plainclothes cops pulled the beige Lincoln Towncar over, but when they walked up displaying their shields they noticed that one of the passengers in the back seat, Eugene Graves, was making suspicious movements near his waistband.
After the cops told the passengers to get out of the car, Miller, a 13-year-veteran, reached toward a bulge at Graves’ waist and felt the gun underneath his clothes.
“He told him to put his hands behind him, and that’s when he started to fight,” said a police source.
Reddin, a four-year veteran, rushed to help Miller, calling for backup as he ran, while Graves’ backseat confederate took off.
Graves managed to press his Taurus .38 revolver into Miller’s stomach, but Miller grabbed hold of the gun, wedging his right ring finger between the gun’s hammer and cylinder, before the murderous Graves could fire a shot.
“This guy pulled the trigger so many times he broke the sergeant’s finger,” said the police source.
Uniformed police officers arrived within moments and helped to subdue the still-struggling Graves, who was also found to be in possession of about 2 ounces of crack, according to a police source.
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