Who Are The Bronx Police Officers That Were Shot? Their Identities Remain Unknown

The gun violence has got to stop. During a time where tensions in the United States are high, any amount of violence is incredibly disheartening. Two police officers were shot in the Bronx, a borough of New York City, early this Friday evening. As more people learn about the shooting they'll wonder — who are the Bronx police officers that were shot? Until more details emerge — like the names of the officers — from the shooting, there is only so much that authorities currently know.

But here is what they do know. They do know a few critical things about the shooting — like how the exchange happened that left one officer and the reported suspect dead. According to The New York Daily News, the shooting of the two officers happened around 3 p.m. when police were following the reported gunman after robbing an apartment. According to The New York Daily News, after the robbery, the gunman escaped in an SUV — the police then rammed into the SUV, which set off the gunfire. During the exchange, one police officer was struck in the head, which killed him — the other officer was struck in the leg and is currently being treated for his injuries, according to The New York Times. The officer's identities, who were both sergeants according to Reuters, currently remain unknown.

Update: According to the official Twitter account of the NYPD, Sergeant Paul Tuolozzo, a police officer who had worked with the NYPD for 19 years, died at the hospital. Sergeant Emanuel Kwo, a nine year veteran of the NYPD, was shot in the leg and is in stable condition.

The gunfire exchange between the officers and the suspect, according to The New York Times, left the suspect dead. It is incredibly sad whenever any officer gets shot in a line of duty. As details emerge we will know who this officer was, what kind of person they were, and what their family will say when these details come forward. No officer should ever have to die, protecting their community from harm.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had this to say about the shooting in a statement, according to Time Warner Cable New York News 1:

Every day, the brave men and women of law enforcement selflessly serve our communities to keep the rest of us safe. Today, a sergeant in the New York City Police Department has made the ultimate sacrifice, in the line of duty, and another officer is undergoing treatment. My deepest sympathies are with the families of the officers involved in today's tragedy in the Bronx, and with Commissioner O'Neill and the NYPD as they cope with the loss of one of their own.

According to ABC News 7, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Police Commissioner James O'Neill, among others, are currently at the hospital where the officer is being treated. For New York City police officers and city officials, a death in the line of duty is incredible loss. Especially since it has been a little over a year since the last time an officer was killed in the line of duty. According to The New York Times, last October New York police officer Randolph Holder was killed while "responding to a call about gunshots in East Harlem."

While the police officer's identities still remain unknown, the impact and brevity of the situation still remains the same — two police officers were shot today while they were just doing their jobs. Their families remain in the thoughts of so many Americans tonight.