On October 19, 2003, Sgt. James Gentile and another police officer from the 75 Precinct approached a vehicle that had been used in an armed robbery just minutes before. Without warning, one of three suspects leapt out of the vehicle firing a .9mm automatic weapon. Although shot three times, Sgt. Gentile managed to return fire. The gunman was fatally wounded in an ensuing gun battle with responding officers, and his two accomplices were arrested at the scene.