NEW YORK (AP) – Police say an off-duty officer has shot and killed an armed man who grabbed the officer’s wife and their 3-year-old daughter in a Bronx elevator.

Police say Carlos Rios followed the officer’s 30-year-old wife and the girl onto an apartment building elevator shortly before midnight Saturday. They say Rios grabbed the two from behind as they were getting out, and he showed a gun.

The off-duty officer heard the victims’ screams and ran to their aid.

Police say shots were fired, and Rios was hit. Investigators have his gun but haven’t determined whether it was fired.

Rios ran from the building but was caught a short distance away. The 47-year-old died soon after.

No telephone number could be found for Rios’ upper Manhattan apartment.

AP-ES-06-01-08 1647EDT