On a September evening in 2004, a domestic dispute call in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn set in motion a tragic chain of events that would end in the deaths of two New York City Police Department detectives. Thirty-nine-year-old Detective Patrick Rafferty and his partner, Detective Robert Parker, responded to a call from a woman who reported that her son was attempting to steal her car.
The detectives, both assigned to the 67th Precinct Detective Squad, located the suspect, Marlon Legere, on East 49th Street.
As the detectives attempted to apprehend Legere, a violent struggle broke out. Legere, a man with a lengthy criminal record, managed to gain control of Detective Parker’s 9mm service weapon and opened fire on both officers at close range. Both Rafferty and Parker were struck multiple times in the chest. Despite being mortally wounded, Detective Rafferty was able to return fire, striking Legere in the leg. His partner, Detective Parker, in his final moments, was able to call 911 and identify their assailant to the operator.
Following the shooting, Legere carjacked a minivan and fled the scene. The wounded detectives were rushed to Kings County Hospital, but both succumbed to their injuries. An intensive manhunt for Legere ensued, and he was apprehended less than two hours later, just a few blocks from the scene of the crime, after a citizen reported a suspicious person in their building.
Marlon Legere was subsequently charged with multiple counts, including first-degree murder. He went to trial, where he claimed he had acted in self-defense. A jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to two life terms in prison without the possibility of parole. Detective Patrick Rafferty, a 15-year veteran of the NYPD, was posthumously awarded the New York City Police Department's Medal of Honor for his bravery. He left behind his wife and three children.
