New York Police Department investigators reportedly identified the overconfident man who tried to rob the Waldorf-Astoria Saturday and shot a police officer in the process. Police officials said the man was identified yesterday as Rafael Rabinovich-Ardans, 20, of Highland Park.

In short, Rabinovich-Ardans entered the Cellini Jewelers, located in the Waldorf-Astoria, and smashed two glass display jewelry cases with the butt of his gun. Gregory J. Boyle, a retired detective working as an armed employee for the jewelry shop, tried to stop the man, but he was shot in the chest. As the two men were struggling, at least six shots were fired with the suspect’s gun. At least one of the shots hit the retired detective.

As the two were wrestling, another employee of the jewelry store intervened and hit the robber. The gun went off at that point, but the shot did no hit anyone.

A team of five policemen arrived at the hotel within minutes. Several Secret Service agents, who were in the area with security matters at the nearby InterContinental Barclay New York hotel also ran at the Waldorf after hearing gun fire, The New York Times reported.

Boyle suffered wounds to his chest and left forearm. The 54-year-old guard was rushed to Bellevue Hospital Center where he is in stable condition. His injury was not life-threatening. Boyle had served with the force for 21 years and was assigned to the Brooklyn Detective Squad before he retired in 2002.

The 20-year-old robber entered the lobby of the famed hotel at about 2:30 Saturday afternoon. Rabinovich-Ardans, a Brazilian immigrant, was charged with attempted murder, assault, robbery, attempted grand larceny and criminal use of a firearm. He was expected to be arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court yesterday afternoon.