Two City Officers Shot, One Critically

NEW YORK — Two New York City police officers were shot and wounded during a Brooklyn traffic stop on Monday, including one who was gravely injured, authorities said.

An intense manhunt was underway for three occupants of a stolen sport utility vehicle; the shots apparently were fired by two of them, police said, and three guns were later recovered.

"The suspects in this brazen shooting are still at large," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said at a news conference at Kings County Hospital, where the officers were taken.

A security video near the scene captured the shooting; another video showed three men, believed to be the suspects, ducking into a driveway after seeing a patrol car approach.

"One will recover and one is clinging to life. I ask all New Yorkers to pray for their recovery," Mayor Bloomberg said of the officers.

Officer Russell Timoshenko, 23, was shot in the face and neck, and was in "extremely critical condition," said Mr. Kelly.

Mr. Bloomberg said that while meeting with Mr. Timoshenko's parents, he gave them "thanks from a concerned city."

Officer Herman Yan, 26, shot in the chest and left forearm, was in stable condition. "We have every reason to believe that his life was saved by his bulletproof vest," Mr. Kelly said.

At the crime scene Monday morning, the officers' patrol car — lights still flashing — remained in the spot where they stopped the suspects, outside the Little Red Riding Hood daycare center.

The incident occurred at 2:30 a.m. in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn when the two officers pulled over a black BMW SUV that had license plates belonging to another car.

Mr. Kelly said the uniformed officers approached the SUV and someone inside it started shooting, hitting Mr. Timoshenko first. Mr. Yan returned fire but was hit too, Mr. Kelly said.

Police found the SUV abandoned near the shooting scene. Inside it were two .45-caliber shell casings, Mr. Kelly said. The SUV, and the plates from the second vehicle, had been stolen from a Long Island dealership.

Police said Mr. Timoshenko, of Staten Island, joined the department in January 2006. Mr. Yan, of Brooklyn, joined three years ago.

"The terrible events are proof once again of the unfortunate truth that guns, when they fall into the hands of the wrong people, have tragic consequences," said Mr. Bloomberg.