NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Two married off-duty NYPD detectives and their 2-year-old were driving back from a Fourth of July party when their car was struck by a bullet on Monday night.
Detective Stephanie Eiel told NBC New York that she and her husband were driving on the Bronx River Parkway when they heard a loud bang.
At first, Eiel thought it was fireworks, but the next morning she realized it was a bullet. The car door had shielded her family from tragedy.
"You don't expect it on your day off," Eiel said.
Her toddler was in a car seat in the back, and Eiel was driving. The 39-year-old told the outlet that the bullet nearly came right through her window.
She told the New York Post that her husband, a 17-year veteran of the department, was upset.
"He's been around the world, [in the military], serving in the NYPD, and you never think of something like this happening," she said. "He's just grateful we're OK, but there's lots to think about with the 2 year old. [It] could of been me, him, the bullet could of ricocheted inside the car. It could of went anywhere."
Eiel added that she and her husband have lived in the Bronx their whole lives but never thought they would be victims of crime themselves.
"We live in the city, work in the city, we love the city — when we're off duty things like this should not be happening," she said.
The couple ended up being one of the lucky ones during a violent July 4 in New York City.
Nearly two dozen were reportedly shot on July 4 in gun violence that left three dead.
As for the couple, police are investigating the circumstances and possible motivation of the shooting, whether it was celebratory gunfire or poor intent, the NBC affiliate reports.
Paul DiGiacomo of the NYPD Detectives Endowment Association told the outlet that the city should appoint a special firearms prosecutor to target gun-related violence and crimes.
"Gun violence is out of control," DiGiacomo said.
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