NYC Cop Takes Life on LIE
First officer pulls off roadway and shoots himself near Jericho; A second on-duty officer pulls out gun and kills himself in Queens Monday night.
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Nassau County Police officers are probing the grim discovery Monday afternoon of a New York City Police Officer dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on the Long Island Expressway.
Nassau Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the LIE incident that occurred on Monday at about 3:40 p.m. in Jericho.
Nassau detectives said the victim, a 39-year-old man who was an active-duty New York City Police Officer, had pulled off to the side of the roadway on the eastbound Long Island Expressway near Exit 40.
While there, he apparently fired a fatal self-inflicted wound, Nassau police said.
The officer was in a private car, said police. The reported beige sedan was not removed from the scene until about 8 p.m.
Police descended on the scene and major rush-hour traffic tie-ups ensued on the LIE until the car was finally moved.
Detectives said the investigation is continuing.
It's the second time in two months that an area police officer took his own life. On Jan. 19, a NYPD officer took a phone call at the scene of a Queens burglary, suddenly pulled out his revolver and shot himself in the mouth, The New York Daily News reported.
The incident in Queens took place about 10:40 p.m., when an unidentified 28-year-old officer responded with his partner to a call about a series of car break-ins in Hollis Hills, the Daily News reported. At the scene, the officer was heard arguing on the phone. He suddenly took out his revolver and fired, witnesses said at the scene.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story had the incorrect date of the Queens shooting.
Joe Dowd
11:22 pm on Monday, February 13, 2012
This is a terrible thing to happen; we are working on finding additional details involving the circumstances. We'll work into the night to find them.
marianne salinger
12:32 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
descended
Joe Dowd
12:55 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Thanks, Marianne: appreciate it.. jd
Pat
4:33 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
how come Newsday isn't reporting on this?
Gary Talkofsky
5:41 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
That explains why the timing sign at Utopia Parkway stated 49 minutes to 106/107 and only 18 minute to Glen Cove Rd. I was puzzled on what was going on until I saw another overhead signed stating Police Activity when I got into Nassau County.
Bob
9:33 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
I usually get on the expressway just before exit 38 but saw it jammed up big time going east. I stayed on the expressway service road until Home Depot in Jericho and cut through the parking lot to get on Jericho Turnpike and was able to get back on the Expressway past the Police suicide to exit 43 with no delay. I saw many Police and emergecy vehicles at the scene. What a mess! Why is there no news about this except for AOL.
Joe Dowd
9:56 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Bob: We're updating the story and still looking for more information.
Joel Berse
10:03 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Tired of mourning cops
Barbara
1:16 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
I was wondering why there were 6 unmarked police cars, 4 police cars and an ambulance that wasn't going anywhere. Truly sad as to the reason why.
Lisa
8:38 am on Monday, February 20, 2012
Yes very sad - no mention about names or anything about this this whole week. We live in S. Huntington and my husband was walking in St. Elizabeths' parking lot this past Saturday, when he saw 2 long buses with NYPD on it filled with Police for a furneral. My husband asked one of the officers a couple of questions and the officer was very uncomfartable answering him. Like it is a secret or something (a police oath/code) he did finally answer him but who knows if he gave the correct last name of the officer. (That is why I won't repeat the last name). Plus I though its a sin to commit suicide in the Catholic Church. Can someone answer me on this, would you be able to have a funeral in the Church if the person committed suicide?
Very sad indeed!
Joe Dowd
12:20 pm on Monday, February 20, 2012
Lisa: Thank you for pointing out the funeral. The Police Department did not choose to release the name for privacy reasons, and we're honoring that. I did some research, however, on the Catholic issue. There was a time that the Roman Catholic Church denied some victims of suicide a Catholic funeral, but the Church now recognizes the severe physical and psychological trauma people suffer that leads them to suicide. The modern church now provides Catholic funeral services for all sorts of Catholics, ranging from infants to divorced Catholics who remarry. Thanks again for your input.