In August of 2019, the Queens community of Laurelton was shaken by the death of Robert Echeverria, a 56-year-old male NYPD officer. A veteran of the force for 25 years, Echeverria was off-duty when he died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his home. His wife discovered him and immediately called for help, but despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, he could not be saved.
His death was the ninth suicide of an NYPD officer that year, bringing to light a troubling mental health crisis within the department.
Echeverria was a member of the elite Strategic Response Group, a unit that handles protests and potential terrorist threats. His sister, Eileen Echeverria, revealed that she had repeatedly warned the NYPD about her brother's fragile mental state and had pleaded with them to take his service weapons. She stated that his guns were temporarily removed in June of that year after a mental health evaluation, but were returned to him just days later after a police therapist deemed him fit for duty. She firmly believes the department failed her brother.
The loss of Officer Echeverria left his family, including his two children, devastated. His sister remembered him as someone who had dreamed of being a police officer since he was a child. Neighbors and friends recalled him as a quiet and kind man. In the wake of his death, funeral services were held in Queens, and he was laid to rest in Farmingdale. The series of suicides within the NYPD prompted calls for greater mental health resources and support for officers.
