In the winter of 2006, the life of Buffalo Police Officer Patricia 'Patty' Parete, a vibrant and dedicated officer, was irrevocably altered. On the night of December 5th, she and her partner, Officer Carl Andolina, responded to a call about a fight at a downtown convenience store. There, they confronted 19-year-old Varner Harris Jr. In a sudden act of violence, Harris opened fire on both officers.
While Andolina was wounded, Parete was struck by a bullet that entered her chin and lodged in her spine, leaving the 48-year-old woman paralyzed from the neck down.
For more than six years, Officer Parete faced the devastating consequences of that night with courage. Her spirit and determination became an inspiration to the community, which rallied around her, holding fundraisers to help build a wheelchair-accessible home. Despite her anger over the incident, she held onto hope for a recovery and a return to the force she served with dedication. Her assailant, Varner Harris Jr., pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to life in prison for the shooting.
On February 2, 2013, Patricia Parete succumbed to medical complications stemming from the gunshot wound she sustained years earlier. Her death, at the age of 48, was officially ruled a homicide. Hundreds of law enforcement officers, first responders, and community members gathered to pay their final respects to the fallen officer. Though her death was deemed a homicide, the district attorney ultimately decided against pursuing a first-degree murder charge against Varner Harris Jr., reportedly in accordance with Parete's own wishes.
