NYPD searching for suspect in shooting of New York Jets cornerback Kris Boyd

NYPD detectives searched Monday for an unidentified man the police said is a suspect in the shooting of Jets cornerback Kris Boyd early Sunday outside a midtown Manhattan restaurant.

Boyd, 29, remained in critical but stable condition Monday, the NYPD said. He was shot in the abdomen just after 2 a.m. Sunday in front of the Sei Less restaurant at West 38th Street and Seventh Avenue, according to the police. A gunman fired two shots and ran from the scene, heading east on West 38th Street, the NYPD said.

Boyd was taken by ambulance to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue.

On Monday, the department released a photo of the alleged suspect, who was last seen wearing a black beanie, a black sweatshirt and a black backpack.

Police did not provide a possible motive for the shooting.

A law enforcement source told Newsday that Boyd was in a group separate from the suspected shooter in Sei Less. The NYPD determined that the two groups had no interaction in the establishment but when both left at the same time, there was a physical altercation leading Boyd being shot in the abdomen, with the round traveling to his right lung, according to the source.

Jets tight end and Lindenhurst native Jeremy Ruckert said it "was devastating news" to hear about what happened to Boyd, and he was "super grateful" his teammate is stable. Ruckert said the Jets would come together and pray for Boyd and his family. 

"It's tough news to hear," he said. "We're all thinking of him and wishing him well for him and his family. ... He’s got a child and you think about those people in his life and the locker room in general.

Jets defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, who is in his first season with the team, was a teammate of Boyd with the Minnesota Vikings.

"I just know there's been a lot of answered prayers. It's a blessing to know that he's in stable condition, surrounded by his family, with a lot of support around him," Phillips said. "From where the news originally was reported, there's a lot of panic and a lot of emotion that goes into that." 

Phillips praised Boyd for his energetic and positive personality.

"I can't wait to see his smiling face again."

Phillips said when he heard Boyd had been shot, it brought back painful memories of the summer of 2024 when Vikings cornerback Khyree Jackson died in a car accident.

"Almost a small dose of PTSD because I lost a teammate last summer, Khyree Jackson in Minnesota, Phillips said. "So your original thoughts go to how terrible of a situation that ended up being and the family involved." 

The Jets did not have a game this past weekend after losing to the New England Patriots on Thursday. They are scheduled to play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Boyd was ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury during training camp in August and placed on injured reserve. He was a free agent signing for the Jets in March on a one-year $1.6 million deal, primarily as a special teams player.

Boyd was first drafted in the seventh round by the Minnesota Vikings in 2019 from the University of Texas. He played four years with Minnesota and then signed with the Arizona Cardinals, where he played four games before he was cut. He then played with the Houston Texans for two seasons, before coming to the Jets.

The NYPD is asking anyone with information to call the department's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or to leave tips online.

Newsday’s Anthony M. DeStefano and Joshua Needelman contributed to this story.