Teen shot dead by NYC detective

NEW YORK -- A 17-year-old boy was shot to death by a police officer Thursday as he held a fake gun to the head of the officer's undercover partner during a sting, authorities said.

The detectives were investigating recent robberies of delivery men at an apartment building in the Hamilton Heights section of Manhattan. A few hours later, officers in Brooklyn killed a suspected car thief in the fourth fatal shooting by police this year.

Anthony Newsome was shot in a hallway as he held an imitation gun to the head of a detective dressed as a delivery man, authorities said. The detective's plainclothes partner fired three shots at Newsome, striking him once in the chest. Police said the officers had thought the fake gun was real.

The detectives went to the building after a manager of a nearby Wimpie's hamburger restaurant reported a suspicious food order. Employees said staff had been robbed at least three times in recent days as they delivered hamburgers, french fries and sodas to the building.

The shooting provoked anger from building residents and the window of a police department vehicle was smashed. Several people were arrested.

Later Thursday, police said they shot and killed a man after he crashed a suspected stolen minivan and struggled with officers.

Early Wednesday, two men were fatally shot by police in Brooklyn after they were seen firing guns in separate incidents.

"It would appear in both cases that police officers were acting according to regulations and using the training that they've received to protect the public," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

The medical examiner's office said Thursday that Anthony Reid, 21, and Jamal Nixon, 19, died from gunshot wounds to the back. Police said both men traded fire with police.