Brooklyn, NY – Even the mom of the gun-toting bandit who allegedly tried to rob a Brooklyn salon has only good things to say about the hero cop who thwarted the heist.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
“What a great police officer — she did what she was trained to do. I would have done the same thing,” said Cheryl Cox, 54, the mother of whimpering suspect Winston Cox, 19, who officials say tried to knock off Sabine’s Hallway Beauty Salon in Fort Greene on Saturday, only to be foiled by off-duty cop Feris Jones.
“I’m just thankful to God the police officer is OK — she did a good job,” the mom, who has filed eight domestic-violence complaints against her son, told The Post yesterday.
Jones, known affectionately as “Jonesey” to neighbors, shot her service revolver for the first time in her 20-year career during the stickup — and like an Old West gunslinger, blasted a gun right out of the hands of the bandit.
She then somehow managed to blast off the handle of the shop’s front door to temporarily trap him inside.
“Her reserve under fire was matched only by her marksmanship,” said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.
NYPD brass were so impressed with Jones’ actions that she is being promoted to detective today, sources said.
Kelly hailed Jones just hours after officers nabbed Cox cowering in a single-residency-occupancy hotel at 1:05 a.m.
Cox answered the police door-knock with his bloodied hands wrapped in paper towels. Asked if he was hurt, he whined, “She shot me in the hand,” officials said.
He was charged with attempted murder and robbery.
Jones, 50, was off-duty and casually dressed in a T-shirt and jeans sitting in a salon chair having her hair styled at around 6:30 p.m. Saturday when the stickup occurred, authorities said.
Cox allegedly entered the shop shouting, “This ain’t no joke! This is a robbery! I will kill you!” at the four women — Jones, another customer, the salon owner and an employee.
Cox, armed with a .44 Magnum, ordered the four women into the bathroom at the back of the shop and demanded their wallets, police said.
When he allegedly began rifling through drawers in the front of the shop, Jones sprang into action.
The evidence-collection specialist silently unholstered her .38-caliber five-shot Smith & Wesson revolver and hid it behind her leg, police said.
“Everybody get down!” the hero cop shouted, then ran from the bathroom to confront Cox, officials said.
He fired at her, and, “She [then] fires, hitting him in the hand and knocking the gun out his hand,” Kelly said. “He picks [his gun] up and tries to get out [the] front door, and that handle has [already] been shot off. I am suggesting [Jones] was aiming.”
Cox started screaming, “Open the door! Open the door!” before picking up his gun and finally kicking out a glass panel in the front door and crawling out on his hands and knees.
More guns, less crime.
Armed cops are obviously not a deterant, but I’ll bet you armed civilians would be.
She should have killed that savage; once he is released, and back on the streets (based on the recidivism rate), he will only engage in more violent crime.
Why is she getting promoted? For doing her job? That doesn’t make sense.
Bunch of c*ap, lucky or stupid shot, she was (or should have been) aiming for “center of mass”, she has poor aim or poor judgement.
I see that “the clear thinker” is Not thinking clearly. Cops are in a sense “on Call”, 24/7, that comes with the job. Poor analogy to equate say an accountant or barber with the duties of a cop. A barber, for example, if he saw someone with unkempt, unruly hair on the street would be under no obligation to take out his scissors and start clipping away. Why does anyone have to tell you that?
winston cox will end up suing somebody for his “pain and suffering”
#4 , center of mass statement of yours is basically true enough, but people are trying to make out that she was somehow aiming for his hand or the gun.
I’m with #4 . It’s hard to believe that she intended to shoot the gun out of his hand and intended to shoot the handle off the door. More likely she was trying to shoot him in the chest and missed repeatedly. Still, all’s well that ends well.
Maybe he was just doing his job, but Captain Scully, the hero, Hudson River airplane pilot deserved the accolades he received for demonstrating the epitome of professionalism.
The same goes for this cop. She probably saved four lives, including her own, and deserves compliments, awards, and a promotion.
Like Scully, she demonstrated the epitome of professionalism, and makes me feel better knowing she’s on the streets, doing her job whenever, however needed.
To #11 - Almost every law enforcement agency in the USA (NYCPD included) no longer uses revolvers. Cops shifted to automatic pistols years ago, as they can fire more rapidly, the clip carries more ammunition than a six shooter, and an automatic pistol can be reloaded much faster with the clip, than it can by manually inserting bullets into a chamber.
To #3 and #5 - Most cops never fire their weapons (except at a target range) during their entire careers. She was promoted because: a) she stopped a felony in progress; and b), she saved the other civlians from harm, as the perpetrator could have harmed the women in the store. He had a history of violence against his own Mother, and he could have killed the other people in the store. It was a great arrest, and she deserved to be promoted.
Kindly remember that several years ago, there was a shooting incident at City Hall, whereby a psycho opened fire on a someone at a City Hall meeting and killed him. The one cop on duty was able to shoot and kill the perpetrator from a great distance; that cop was also promoted to Detective.
Your scenario (clearly thinking) is valid and would be awful. Civilians must be trained in both marksmanship as well as when NOT to shoot, as per whether innocents are in close proximity, there is a clear shot, and knowing whats (or who) is behind the bad guy. Personally I have a carry permit but I would not get involved (that’s just me) unless myself or a family member was threatened directly, and my weapon is powerful enough to easily penetrate the bad guy and (G-D Forbid) hit someone behind him/her., so that is obviously another situation to contemplate. I try to stick with expanding ammo, (vs. penetrable,full metal jacketed) but the 10mm round is powerful.
I don’t understand all of you–I really don’t–here is a police officer who shot a perpetrator. She did just as she was trained. Instead of being thankful that she did her job, you are all berating her that she didn’t intend to shoot him in the hand or hit the door handle. I bet if this would have happened in a sheitel salon in Boro Park, everyone would be praising her that she was a wonderful police officer, but since it didn’t happen in “that” neighborhood, who cares???? I CARE–I care that she did her job. I care that she took her years of officer training and put it to use. And #3–anyone who works anywhere is promoted for doing his/her job–that IS how promotions happen. She did her job, and has been promoted and I for one wish her the very best of luck and may officers everywhere take an example of her calmness and astuteness in a time of danger. Way to go, Jonesy!!!
#’s 11, 12, 13 and 15 your posts are right on point. Bottom line she is a HERO.