A Bronx man has been hit with federal charges for harboring a fugitive who opened fire on a pair of Deputy US Marshals and wounding them during a wild gun battle.
The violent confrontation unfolded Dec. 4 at about 5:30 a.m. when the NYPD and US Marshals showed up at Grant Grandison’s apartment door looking for Andre Sterling, who was wanted for shooting a Massachusetts state trooper during a traffic stop.
The federal agents asked Grandison, 35, if anyone else was in the apartment at 4085 Ely Ave. in Wakefield to which he allegedly replied, no.
“The marshals proceeded into the apartment, at which point an individual, later identified as Sterling, began firing,” according to the federal complaint against Grandison. “The marshals returned fire, and Sterling was killed in the exchange that followed.”
Grandison is charged with one count each of making a false statement to federal agents and harboring a fugitive.
“Grant Grandison’s conduct led to the horrific shooting of two Deputy United States Marshals who were just doing their jobs in attempting to arrest Andre K. Sterling, a man wanted for a violent felony,” said Acting US Attorney Audrey Strauss in a statement. “We are lucky that more law enforcement officers were not injured during the shooting.”
Strauss said both injured officers would make a full recovery.
The Manhattan federal complaint alleges that Grandison knew his pal, who he met in 2005, was wanted for the Nov. 20 shooting of a state trooper in the hand and torso in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
Around Thanksgiving, Sterling showed up at Grandison’s apartment and told him not tell anyone he was there.
He also said he needed help getting his car back to Boston, and Grandison allegedly recruited an unnamed person to do the job. But that person was pulled over while en route and arrested for driving a stolen vehicle.
Grandison rushed to Boston to attend the individual’s bail hearing, where he allegedly
heard prosecutors tell the judge in court that Sterling was in the same stolen car when he shot the state trooper, the complaint alleges.
If convicted, Grandison faces up to 10 years in prison.
