Queens Man Sentenced to 39 Years for Shooting NYPD Detective in Bus Dispute

Devin Spraggins was convicted of attempted murder after shooting rookie officer Brett Boller during a 2023 altercation that escalated from a fight over a bus seat.

Devin Spraggins, 24, was sentenced to 39 years to life for the attempted murder of NYPD Detective Brett Boller during an April 2023 bus altercation in Queens.
The incident began with a dispute over a bus seat, during which Spraggins harassed another passenger before pulling a gun and shooting Boller in the hip as the officer intervened.
Spraggins attempted to fire at Boller again while he was on the ground, but the gun malfunctioned when its magazine fell out, preventing what prosecutors described as an 'execution.'
Boller, who was 22 at the time and a rookie officer, survived the shooting but endured over a year of surgeries and physical therapy; he has since been promoted to detective.
The judge emphasized the gravity of Spraggins' actions during sentencing, rejecting a plea for leniency and underscoring the need to keep him off the streets.