Queens man found guilty for attempted murder of a police officer

A Queens man faces up to 40 years prison time after being found guilty for the attempted murder of NYPD detective Brett Boller. File photo via fundthefirst.com

By Noah Powelson

A Queens man who shot an NYPD officer after attempting to flee a crime scene was found guilty of attempted murder on Tuesday.

After deliberating for just a few hours, a jury found Jamaica man Devin Spraggins guilty of attempted murder in the first degree for shooting NYPD Officer Brett Boller in 2023. Jurists observed hours of police body camera footage, eyewitness testimony and expert analysis for a case that received major attention from Queens police officers and the borough’s district attorney.

Though Spraggins was convicted of the charges regarding Boller, he was acquitted of attempted murder charges against Anthony Rock, Boller’s former police partner.

“Devin Spraggins attempted to assassinate a New York City police officer in cold blood in April 2023, after he was stopped by cops for fighting with another passenger on an MTA bus,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “The defendant shot Police Officer Brett Boller at point blank range, and it is only because of extraordinary medical intervention that Officer Boller is alive today and this is not a murder case.”

In May of 2023,Boller responded to a bus driver’s calls for help as 24-year-old Devin Spraggins got into a fight with another passenger. During the fight, Spraggins pulled out a gun.

Spraggins fled the scene as Boller and Rock responded to the call. The two officers ran after him and when Boller attempted to restrain the defendant, Spraggins fired his pistol point black into Boller’s leg.

Using footage from a variety of sources, including street surveillance and police body camera, the moment the bullet entered Boller’s hip was captured from nearly a dozen different angles. Spraggins was captured pointing the gun at Rock after Boller fell to the ground in pain, then fleeing the scene to a nearby parking lot.

Additionally, evidence presented to the jury showed that the magazine in Spraggins’ gun falling out during the chase, leaving the gun empty except for the bullet that was fired. The prosecution argued if it were not for that accident, Boller, and potentially even Rock, would have been killed.

Boller, who is now a detective, testified during the trial himself. Undergoing three surgeries and months of physical therapy, Boller said he still feels pain and has difficulty walking after a titanium plate was placed on his hip for recovery.

Spraggins’ attorney did not argue most of the prosecution’s narrative but pushed back on the idea that Spraggins is a cold-hearted executioner.

"Cameras cannot see inside our heads," Michael Horn, Spraggins’ attorney, told the jury during closing arguments.

Horn attempted to argue that Spraggins never intended to kill Boller, just to injure and escape the scene. In contrast to the prosecution’s damnation of Spraggins, Horn argued Spraggins was aware the gun was empty after the bullet was fired and continued to point the gun to scare off the pursuing officer.

During the trial’s opening arguments, Horn told the jury Spraggins was going to testify and explain his side of the story in what was likely to be the defendant’s only chance to convince the jury the shooting was an accident. But in a surprise last minute decision, Spraggins decided not to testify, and the defense rested their case without calling any witnesses or presenting any evidence.

“I think the court gave us a very fair trial and I think the jury is very wise and I am happy they saw fit to dismiss at least a few of the counts involving the second officer,” Horn told the Eagle.

When asked about why Spraggins chose not to testify, Horn told the Eagle some insight might come during his sentencing.

“I had every expectation that Mr. Spraggins was going to testify, but in the end, he exercised his constitutional right to remain silent,” Horn said. “We will have to wait and see what he says at sentencing.”

Spraggins is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 2. He faces up to 40 years in prison.