Dangers Continue: Auxiliary Cop Shot In Head (NYPD)

[phantasm]

Dangers Continue: Auxiliary Cop Shot In Head
Gunfire Erupts Outside Popular Greenwich Village Bar
(CBS) NEW YORK CBS 2 has learned an auxiliary police officer assigned to the 6th Precinct was shot in the head Wednesday night following an altercation with an armed man near the Lion's Den bar in Greenwich Village.

According to police, the officer was taken to St. Vincent's Hospital, but his status is unknown at this time. The armed man died.

Witnesses said shots were fired outside the popular bar Wednesday night, and police officers were initially thought to be injured in the struggle.

London tourist Darren McNamara said he heard two bursts, and thought it was someone shattering the front window of a shop. It turns out he heard gunfire.

Witnesses said suspects ran into the Lion's Den where someone was wounded inside and later removed on a stretcher. Others involved in the altercation ran out the back door.

Josh Drimmer was inside the bar at the time of the shooting.

"Hearing that many shots in a row," he said, "it was war. It felt like that for a hot second."

The Lion's Den is located on Sullivan Street and Bleecker on a block populated with bars and restaurants, not far from New York University.

Please stay with CBS 2 and wcbstv.com for more on this developing story.

Wednesday's violence follows two separate incidents on Tuesday night involving police officers. They were being treated at local hospitals Wednesday and were expected to make full recoveries, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

Angel Cruz, 30, a transit officer who suffered a pierced skull and a slashed face while serving a summons on a man on a subway platform, underwent surgery following the Tuesday night incident in Brooklyn. He was in critical but stable condition.

"He's in the ICU, and our prayers are with him," the mayor said while attending an unrelated event Wednesday morning. "Hopefully, he will come out of this fine, but nobody should think that he's out of the woods yet."

Cruz shot the suspect in the left elbow during the struggle, police said.

Also Tuesday night, a police officer was shot in the abdomen and ankle during a gunfight in a Harlem restaurant in which a 25-year-old man was shot dead.

Officer Robert Tejada, 35, was "going to be fine," the mayor said. "He's going to have a bullet in his ankle that he'll carry around for the rest of his life, but thank God it was nothing worse."

In the Brooklyn incident, the subway struggle began after Cruz tried to issue two men summonses for smoking in a restricted area. One man cooperated, but the other punched Cruz when the officer tried to frisk him for weapons, said Paul Browne, chief spokesman for the NYPD. Then, using a knife with a 6-inch blade, he slashed the left side of the officer's face before stabbing his left temple, Browne said.

Cruz fired five rounds. The suspect, 22-year-old Hugo Hernandez, was in stable condition with two shots to his elbow, Browne said. Hernandez has a record that includes assaults on police officers in New Jersey and was deported to Guatemala in 2005, he said. The second man who was being issued a summons fled.

A second officer who came to assist Cruz suffered an injured hand, police said.

Bloomberg said the incident was a reminder of "the kinds of risks that the men and women who work in our police department endure every day. They want to go home to their families."

Tejada, who was working under cover, was with three fellow officers when they responded to a 911 call at about 9:30 p.m. of a man with a gun at Cafe 22 in Harlem.

When the officers entered the restaurant, they attempted to arrest the man but a struggle ensued, said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. The suspect was able to pull a firearm and he shot at Tejada, grazing his abdomen and striking his ankle.

At least two officers returned fire, hitting the suspect at least four times, Kelly said. The 25-year-old man, who was not identified, was taken to Harlem Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Tejada was taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital and was in stable condition.

Kelly said Tejada probably was saved from more serious injury by his bulletproof vest.
The mayor lamented the scourge of guns in the city's street at the same news conference.

"Illegal guns on the streets of our city are what are killing our children and can very well take the lives of our finest," Bloomberg said. "We just absolutely have to do something about this."

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. )

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_073215017.html

These 2 cops are in addition to the cop stabbed earlier today in the 1st pct, in addition to the 2 cops stabbed in transit in brooklyn last night, in addition to the cop shot in harlem last night, in addition to the cop intentionally hit by a vehicle who then fled the scene last night.

edit: 2 auxillary's injured, 1 went DOA already.

[snuffy2202]

Man, that is terrible! My thoughts and prayers go out to the auxillary officer and his family.

[HudsonHawk]

ABC is reporting that one Aux Officer is dead, the other in serious condition.

[Coloradocop]

My brother just told me about this.... He is an NYPD Auxillary officer. From what he's heard, two Auxillary Officers were killed tonight... I'm assuming it is in relation to this story... I'll post more as I hear/find it.

RIP brothers.

[KaiGywer]

"Illegal guns on the streets of our city are what are killing our children and can very well take the lives of our finest," Bloomberg said. "We just absolutely have to do something about this."

Exactly. So quit trying to take away legal guns you dimwit!

RIP to the officers

[TXCharlie]

In Memory of; Two NYPD Auxiliary Police Officers Killed in the Line of Duty, March 14, 2007.

Dear Colleague, As a member organization of the National Association Citizens On Patrol or as an active Police/Sheriff's volunteer, sworn or civilian law enforcement employee supporting volunteers, It is with deep sorrow that we share with you the loss of two brave members of the NYPD Auxiliary Police killed in the line of duty late Wednesday night, March 14, 2007.

Both Auxiliary Officers were shot and killed by a lone gunman who was fleeing the scene of a shooting he had just done at a bar in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. The gunman was later shot and killed by regular police officers who raced to the scene and came upon the suspect.

The Officers names have not been released yet however they are described as "young and in their prime" and needless to say, dedicated to helping keep their city safe while serving the community.

Additional Information and Address for Cards, Flowers, etc. to be Sent
At this time we have no further information to share however once we receive it, we will immediately forward it to you for consideration of sending Flowers, cards and/or whatever the wishes of the families are.

A bouquet of flowers is being sent to their Precinct by the NACOP on behalf of the NACOP membership however we would encourage each individual agency and/or volunteer unit to send their own card or note offering your support once we have the information available for you.

Thank You for taking the time to consider this suggestion and for any support you can offer the families and the members of the New York City Auxiliary Police unit and the NYPD as a whole during this most difficult time.

Our thoughts and prays go out to the families and loved ones of these two very brave and dedicated members of the NYPD Auxiliary Police.
WHO ARE THE NYPD AUXILIARY POLICE?

They are civic-minded, individuals who volunteer to assist their local Police Precincts, Housing Police Service Area, and Transit Borough Queens, by performing uniformed patrol in their communities. They are recruited, trained and equipped by the Police Department. They come from many diverse backgrounds and a myriad of occupations throughout the City, such as computer programmers, mechanics, merchants, nurses, security guards, school teachers, students, etc.

What are their functions? Auxiliary Police provide extra "eyes and ears" for the Police Department by performing unarmed, uniformed foot, vehicle and bicycle patrols. They are trained to observe and report conditions requiring the services of the regular police. Whenever possible, they assist in non-enforcement and non-hazardous duties. The following are some areas in which the Auxiliary Police assist the Police Department: Residential and commercial areas; Community festivals, parades, concerts, street fairs, park patrols; Subway entrances and token booth areas; Perimeter of Houses of Worship; Crime prevention activities; Traffic control.


Founded in 1999, the National Association Citizens On Patrol is a non-profit, public benefit corporation headquartered in Southern California. Our mission is to support existing Citizen Patrol groups and member organizations while assisting other agencies and communities to form new units while increasing recognition for all Police and Sheriff's volunteers. Our organization is funded with membership fee's from over 80 of the "Best of the Best" law enforcement agencies and volunteer groups from over 18 states across our great nation.
Sincerely,

Art Femister, President and Founder and the Board of Directors, National Association Citizens On Patrol
email: afemister@nacop.org
phone: 951-898-8551
web: http://www.nacop.org

[phantasm]

Wild Greenwich Village Shootout Leaves Two Volunteer NYPD Cops Dead
March 14, 2007

Two NYPD auxiliary police officers were shot and killed by a heavily-armed gunman in a volley of gunfire on the streets of Greenwich Village Wednesday night, after the suspect had fatally shot a restaurant employee.

Investigators say the volunteer officers – Nicholas Pekearo and Yevgeniy 'Eugene' Marshalik – chased the suspect, identified as 32-year-old David Gavin, after Gavin fired 15 shots at an employee at De Marco's pizzeria on West Houston Street near Macdougal, killing 35-year-old Alfredo Romaro around 9 p.m.

The unarmed auxiliary officers caught up with Gavin at Sullivan Street, where he shot and killed the two before armed officers could arrive. Gavin was shot and killed by responding armed NYPD police officers at Bleecker and Sullivan Streets.

Police say a nine millimeter handgun and another weapon were recovered from the scene, along with about 100 rounds of ammunition and at least two other clips, leading authorities to say the incident could have been even more tragic had the suspect not been stopped when he was.

"This tragedy, as horrific as it was, could have been a lot worse without the actions of our brave officers," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg at an early-morning press conference at St. Vincent's Hospital, where the injured officers were pronounced dead.

"He killed three unarmed individuals in quick succession and appeared to be ready to take even more lives,” said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. “When he turned onto Sullivan Street he encountered two of the city's unsung heroes, two New York City auxiliary police officers. They were part of the 4,500 member program whose volunteers serve without compensation as the eyes and ears of this department.”

Witnesses described a chaotic scene in which people screamed and ran for cover during a barrage of 15-20 bullets outside a popular stretch of restaurants near the campus of New York University. Police closed off several blocks around the area as patrons streamed into the streets following the shootings.

The gunman was also found to be carrying a fake beard, which witnesses said he had been wearing as a disguise when he shot the restaurant employee.

Nicholas Pekearo, 28, had been with the auxiliary police since 2003. Eugene Marshalik was two weeks shy of his 20th birthday. He was a student at NYU; he joined the Auxiliary Police Department 13 months ago.
Pekearo and Marshalik are the sixth and seventh auxiliary officers to lose their lives in the line of duty since the program's inception. The last auxiliary officer fatality occurred in 1993.

Wednesday night's incident was the fourth time in two days that NYPD officers have been attacked in the line of duty.

http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index...d=1&aid=67691#

[Andrewtx]

Rip

[Hannibal]

Rip

[10-42Adam]

By COLLEEN LONG
Associated Press Writer


A gunman rampaged through a strip of restaurants and bars in a trendy Manhattan neighborhood, killing a pizzeria employee and two unarmed volunteer police officers before other officers shot him to death, the mayor said.

Gunman David Gavin had a fake beard, two guns and 100 rounds of ammunition, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said early Thursday.

"Tonight was a horrible night for the New York Police Department and for our city," he said. "Two men who volunteered their time to make our city the safest big city in America lost their lives helping to keep it exactly that way."

The shooting began around 9 p.m. Wednesday, the mayor said. Gavin, 32, went into a Greenwich Village pizzeria, asked for a menu and then shot an employee 15 times in the back before fleeing, Bloomberg said. Police identified the employee as Alfredo Romaro, 35.

Nicholas Todd Pekearo and Eugene Marshalik, two of the city's nearly 4,500 volunteer police officers, responded to the shooting and approached Gavin, who crossed the street and fired at them. Volunteer officers are civilians who wear uniforms, are unarmed and help patrol streets.

Gavin then exchanged gunfire with regular officers, the mayor said. Several uniformed officers suffered minor injuries.

Authorities recovered the 9mm semiautomatic pistol Gavin fired, plus a .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun in a bag with the ammunition, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. Gavin shot at least 23 rounds.

"He appeared to be ready to take even more lives," said Kelly.

A worker in a nearby restaurant, Nikola Simic, said he saw police officers swarm toward the middle of the street where the volunteer officers were slain.

"Then we heard a shooting that was like a good five minutes," Simic said.

Police said they did not know what prompted Gavin to begin shooting.

Pekearo, 28, was a writer with a book scheduled to be published soon, the mayor said. Marshalik, 19, a student at nearby New York University, had immigrated from Russia, Bloomberg said. The mayor said Marshalik hoped eventually to join the police force.

Marshalik and Pekearo were the first New York City volunteer police officers to die in the line of duty since 1993, according to the mayor. Only five other volunteer officers have died in the line of duty in the city's history.

The street where the shooting occurred is located near NYU's downtown campus, close to Washington Square Park and near several famous bars and restaurants, including Cafe Wha?, where Bob Dylan used to perform.

Associated Press writers Samantha Gross and Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report.


RIP to both of them.

[lewisipso]

[phantasm]

repost, http://www.lawenforcementforums.com/...ad.php?t=14123

[Crimebytes2]

Nicholas Todd Pekearo and Eugene Marshalik, two of the city's nearly 4,500 volunteer police officers, responded to the shooting and approached Gavin, who crossed the street and fired at them. Volunteer officers are civilians who wear uniforms, are unarmed and help patrol streets.

When I read about this on www.odmp.org I was confused. Why would two on duty officers be unarmed? Now I know why. May both officers rest in peace.

[Beans]

I merged the two threads together.

[HudsonHawk]

Rest in peace brothers.

[TXCharlie]

Follow Up Information for the two NYPD Auxiliary Police Officers Killed in the Line of Duty, Thursday, March 14, 2007.

Dear Colleague, In follow up to our e-mail notification sent this past Friday, as a member organization of the National Association Citizens On Patrol or as an active Police/Sheriff's volunteer, sworn or civilian law enforcement employee supporting volunteers, as promised, we are sending this e-mail as a follow up to provide additional information for those wishing to send their condolences to the families of Auxiliary Officers Nicholas Todd Pekearo, age 28 and Eugene Marshalik, age 19, both shot and killed by a gunman on a rampage as they patrolled the streets of Manhattan's Greenwich Village late Thursday evening, March 15, 2007.

As members of the NYPD Auxiliary Police, neither officer was armed as their primary mission is to act as additional "Eyes and Ears" for the department while assisting with other non-enforcement activities, similar to what others would call Citizen Patrol Volunteers, in other parts of the nation such as California and Florida.

The two auxiliary officers were killed, as was 35-year- old pizzeria bartender Alfredo Romero, when gunman David Garvin carved a bloody path through several blocks of Greenwich Village before he was fatally shot by police. The volunteer officers were not required to respond to emergency calls, but both pursued the gunman in an attempt to help. Officials credited them with ordering the gunman to drop a bag containing a gun and ammunition, thus preventing further bloodshed.

Both Auxiliary Officers were laid to rest this weekend with full NYPD department honors including attendance by NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg amongst thousands of uniformed officers.

More details and photos of the final honors may be found by clicking here for the Newsday.com article, a New York based newspaper.


Additional information regarding the NYPD's Auxiliary Officer Program may be found at their web site: htt p://nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/pct/auxpct.html

Address for Cards, Flowers, etc. for those wishing to send them to the families.
All letters, cards, flowers, etc. should be sent the 6th Precinct Auxiliary Police Coordinator, who will forward your items to the families of the two slain Auxiliary Officers.

PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR ITEMS AS FOLLOWS:

The family of Eugene Marshalik and

The family of Nicholas Pekearo

C/O Officer Nelida Flores
NYPD 6th Precinct
233 West 10th Street
New York, NY 11014

Thank You for taking the time to consider this suggestion and for any support you can offer the families and the members of the New York City Auxiliary Police unit and the NYPD as a whole during this most difficult time.


Founded in 1999, the National Association Citizens On Patrol is a non-profit, public benefit corporation headquartered in Southern California. Our mission is to support existing Citizen Patrol groups and member organizations while assisting other agencies and communities to form new units while increasing recognition for all Police and Sheriff's volunteers. Our organization is funded with membership fee's from over 80 of the "Best of the Best" law enforcement agencies and volunteer groups from over 18 states across our great nation.
Sincerely,

Art Femister, President and Founder and the Board of Directors, National Association Citizens On Patrol
email: afemister@nacop.org
phone: 951-898-8551
web: http://www.nacop.org

[jcsdscott]

I pray that their souls find peace, and that their families find solace and comfort in their memories, for they shall one day be reunited.

[Bob Loblaw]

wow. simply unbelieveable that one family (NYPD) could take such a massive hit in just a few days. Stay safe, guys.

RIP