An officer and a bystander were shot Tuesday evening by an armed man who committed multiple robberies in Queens before entering into a shootout with police that ended with the suspect’s death, authorities said.

The incident began at approximately 5:35 p.m. when police say Gary Worthy, 57, of Queens, allegedly robbed a bodega on Hillside Avenue at gunpoint and fired a shot at patrons, police say.

As police began searching for the suspect, an eyewitness alerted officers to Worthy on an avenue near 160th Street. The witness told police Worthy had robbed a smoke shop near Guy Brewer Boulevard and fired a shot while he was inside there as well.

An hour after the first robbery occurred, officers had tracked Worthy to Jamaica Avenue, where they ordered him to stop, at which point Worthy fled and took out a gun, police said.

After police ordered Worthy to drop his weapon, Worthy then allegedly fired at police, hitting Officer Rich Wong in the thigh. 

Wong, a seven-year veteran of the force, returned fire and struck Worthy in the face, killing him, police said.

Police said Worthy had a lengthy criminal history, including 17 prior arrests. He was on lifetime parole and wanted for other recent armed robberies, police said.

Wong, who was shot with an illegal firearm, is expected to recover, police said. He is expected to be released from Jamaica Hospital later Wednesday morning. 

A 26-year-old woman, struck in the leg during the shootout on Jamacia Avenue, is also recovering. It was not immediately clear whether Worthy or police fired the shot that struck her in the leg.

Mayor Eric Adams visited both injured parties, calling for stronger accountability in the criminal justice system.

“We are grateful tonight, but we are also angry. We’re angry because we have witnessed in two days a criminal justice system that is failing New Yorkers and the good people of this city. We are angry that a violent, repeat offender, who has prior gun arrests, who pled guilty to manslaughter and who was arrested for seven crimes since 2001 alone was free to commit two robberies tonight,” Adams said during a press conference Tuesday night.

Tuesday's shootout in Queens comes directly on the heels of a stabbing spree in Manhattan Monday that left three people dead.

The suspect in that incident has been arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder.