New York City cop dies after being shot in East Harlem

NYPD Officer Randolph Holder died at the Harlem Hospital Center on Tuesday night

Bill de Blasio speaks during a press conference with William Bratton in New York. (Michael Balsamo/Associated Press)

Randolph Holder, a 33-year-old New York Police Department officer, was killed in the line of fire during a shootout late Tuesday night.

Mr Holder had responded to gunshots on Saturday near East 102nd Street and 1st Avenue in Harlem at 830pm EST, NBC New York reports. After confronting a man who was riding a bike, police exchanged gunfire with the man and Mr Holder was struck in the head. The officer was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead at 10:22pm EST.

The suspect, who hasn't been identified, was also wounded and apprehended during the shooting. He was rushed to the hospital and was taken into police custody on Wednesday morning.

A department photo of New York City police officer Randolph Holder. New York Police Department (New York Police Department)

Mr Holder was a third generation police officer in his family with his father and grandfather serving as cops in Guyana.

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton held back tears during a press conference Tuesday night calling the fallen officer a "superhero" who ran toward danger.

"I extend our deepest condolences to his family, especially to his father, who in his time of grief sought to comfort the officers from PSA 5. He was strong enough and brave enough to go in and address them. As they tried to comfort him, he in fact was comforting them.”

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio also praised Mr Holder's efforts as hundreds of officers gathered at the Harlem Hospital Center.

“This whole city is in mourning, mourning a man who gave his life as a guardian for all of us, and we're humbled by Officer Randolph Holder's example, example of service and courage and sacrifice," he said.

"Our hearts are heavy and we offer our thoughts and our prayers to his family, who are experiencing unimaginable pain, as we saw earlier when we gathered with them an immigrant who wanted to give back to his city and to his country, who had an exemplary record as a police officer, who did everything the right way.”

Mr Holder is the fourth NYPD officer to be murdered during the past 11 months.