A man wanted for illegal gun possession was charged yesterday with the attempted murder of a New York City plainclothes police officer who was shot in the head while pursuing the suspect in his unmarked car, authorities said.

Officer Brian Moore, 25, remained in critical but stable condition at Jamaica Hospital, a spokeswoman for the New York Police Department said.

Police identified the suspect in the shooting in the New York borough of Queens on Saturday as Demetrius Blackwell, 35. He was arrested soon after the shooting and yesterday he was charged with attempted murder, assault and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, the NYPD said.

White police officer was shot in the head while pursuing the suspect

The shooting took place five months after the fatal ambush of two uniformed New York City police officers in Brooklyn. The gunman in that case had said he wanted to avenge black men killed in confrontations with white officers.

The shooting of Moore, who is white, initially sparked concern it was a replay of the Brooklyn murders. It occurred as tensions are running high in Baltimore over the death last month of a black man from injuries sustained while in police custody.

Moore is the fifth New York City officer shot in five months, police said, adding Blackwell shot at Moore and another officer at about 6.15pm on Saturday while they were in their car in a middle-class Queens neighbourhood.

The officers were trying to question Blackwell, who had an extensive criminal background.