Opinion
November 26, 1991
Appeal from the Supreme Court, Bronx County, William T. Martin, J., Phylis Bamberger, J.
Responding to a radio run of shots fired, police officers were approached by an unidentified man, who described a "crazy" man wearing a three-quarter length black leather coat with a fur collar and black pants as one who had been fighting and firing his gun; he also described the man's female companion as wearing a striped jacket. The officers approached a couple matching this description about one-half block away. As the suspect was told to stop and turned around, one of the officers, fearing he had a gun, grabbed his hands, and after observing a bulge in his jacket pocket, put him against a wall and frisked him, recovering a hand gun.
We agree with the hearing court that the officers' actions were reasonable. The detailed descriptions provided by an informant who encountered the officers face-to-face provided the reasonable suspicion necessary for a stop and frisk (People v. Green, 35 N.Y.2d 193; People v. DeJesus, 169 A.D.2d 521, 522; People v Bruce, 78 A.D.2d 169), and, since the officers were searching for a man believed to be acting "crazy" and armed, their assessment of the need to grab his hands, put him against a wall, and frisk him was properly given considerable weight (People v. Castro, 115 A.D.2d 433, 435, affd 68 N.Y.2d 850).
Concur — Sullivan, J.P., Wallach, Smith and Rubin, JJ.