In a shocking turn of events, a former New York City police officer has been sentenced to a decade behind bars for a road rage shooting that left a New Jersey man quadriplegic.
Sentencing Details
Hieu Tran, 27, pleaded guilty on Nov. 6, 2025, to attempted murder and was handed a 10-year prison sentence on Dec. 15, 2025. The court found that Tran, an off-duty officer, used his department-issued firearm to shoot Kishan Patel, 30, during a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection of Route 73 and Cooper Road in Voorhees Township.
The Incident
When police arrived on Friday, May 17, 2024, they discovered Patel with a gunshot wound. Patel was transported to a hospital and has spent the last year in a specialized Texas facility as a quadriplegic with limited brain function, requiring around-the-clock care.
Investigation and Evidence
Surveillance video, cellphone records, and ballistics evidence led the Voorhees Township Police and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office to identify Tran as the suspect. Shell casings at the scene matched Tran’s department-issued service weapon. Investigators noted that Tran had just left a wedding in the area, was off-duty, and later “calmly drove north, stopped for gas, went home to New York, reloaded his weapon and went to work the next day,” according to attorneys for Patel’s family.
Legal Actions
Attorney Joseph Marrone represented the Patel family in a lawsuit against the city of New York, alleging that the city was aware of Tran’s significant mental health challenges and longstanding alcoholism. The New York City law department declined to comment, but the NYPD confirmed that Tran was terminated from the department.
Key Takeaways
- Hieu Tran, a former NYC police officer, received a 10-year sentence for shooting a New Jersey man.
- The victim, Kishan Patel, remains quadriplegic and receives intensive care in Texas.
- A lawsuit alleges the city knew of Tran’s mental health and alcoholism issues.
The case underscores the serious consequences of violent conduct by law enforcement officers and raises questions about departmental oversight and accountability.
