Gun used to kill 2 Central NY police officers was illegal, deputies say

Syracuse, N.Y. — A gun used to shoot and kill two Central New York law enforcement officers was illegal, according to the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office.

Syracuse police officer Michael E. Jensen and sheriff’s deputy Lt. Michael Hoosock were killed in Salina when a man opened fire on them. The shooter, Christopher R. Murphy, was shot dead by officers.

Murphy had a Springfield AR-15 gun, said Tom Newton, a spokesperson with the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office. It is a lightweight semi-automatic weapon.

The gun was illegal because it had a 40-round banana clip, Newton said.

In New York state, gun magazines are illegal if they have more than 10 rounds, said Robert Spitzer, a former professor at SUNY Cortland who has written six books on gun policy. Banana magazines are curved and often have up to 30 rounds, he said.

If the magazine was removable from Murphy’s gun that means the gun would also be illegal, Spitzer said.

Assault rifles are legal if they conform to certain state standards, he said. Having a removable magazine makes it illegal, he said.

Murphy also did not have a license to have a gun, Newton said. How he obtained the weapon and who the gun is registered to is still under investigation, Newton said.

The number of bullets fired is also still under investigation, Newton said.

A recording from a nearby home revealed the shooting lasted about 10 seconds. So many shots were fired so fast that it was impossible to count them.

Officers from the Syracuse Police Department opened fire that night but no deputies discharged their weapon, he said. Hoosock had his service pistol on him when he was shot, Newton said.

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Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com.