Hieu Tran case: Former NYPD officer sentenced to 10 years for road rage shooting in Voorhees, NJ
A former NYPD officer was sentenced to 10 years in state prison Monday afternoon for a shooting that left a New Jersey man brain-damaged and paralyzed.
Hieu Tran will be eligible for parole after 8.5 years.
In court, the victim's family said this has turned their lives upside down, as their loved one, Kishan Patel, now needs round-the-clock care.
"When I walked into the hospital and I saw Kishan lay on the bed with his eyes closed and his entire body wrapped up, I knew this couldn't possibly be okay," said the victim's sister, Krishna Patel.
Kishan Patel, now 32, requires round-the-clock care and is in a full-time rehab facility in Houston, Texas.
"We packed our suitcases and moved our lives to Texas, leaving behind our daughter, our business and our home," said Kishan's mother, Manjina Patel.
Authorities say former NYPD Officer Hieu Tran shot Patel in a fit of rage in Voorhees, New Jersey in May of last year.
Tran was off duty at the time, having just attended a wedding where the judge said he had been drinking, and fired three shots using his service weapon.
The shooting caused a five-vehicle crash at Cooper Road and Route 73, seriously injuring Stephanie Hummel, who also spoke about how the incident has drastically impacted her life and her ability to work as an ICU nurse.
"I had broken my ribs on my right and left side, my sternum and my right knee," Hummel said.
Tran pleaded guilty to attempted murder last month. His attorney told the judge he suffers from PTSD. He spoke before he was sentenced, apologizing to the families affected.
"Every morning when I wake up in my cell, I get on my knees and I pray that Mr. Kishan Patel can fully recover and live a fulfilling life as well as Miss Hummel," Tran said.
Patel's family is suing Tran, the city of New York and the mayor, saying the police department does not properly address mental health challenges and substance abuse issues within the force.
Eyewitness News' sister station Action News reached out to the city of New York and the NYPD for comment. The NYPD only responded by saying Tran has been terminated.
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