On a summer evening in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn, 30-year-old Police Officer Joseph Galapo was working as part of a 'buy and bust' narcotics operation on August 16, 1988. He and his sergeant observed a drug transaction taking place in a doorway and moved in to make an arrest. The officers instructed the individuals to place their hands on a car so they could be searched and handcuffed.
As Officer Galapo prepared to cuff one of the men, the suspect suddenly spun around in an
attempt to escape. In the ensuing struggle, the suspect struck the sergeant's hand, causing the sergeant's revolver to discharge. The single bullet tragically struck Officer Galapo in the face. He was rushed to Lutheran Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries several hours later.
The suspect who initiated the struggle, identified as 24-year-old Joseph Barker, was apprehended after a brief chase. He was subsequently charged with criminally negligent homicide for his role in the officer's death. Following the incident, Police Officer Joseph Galapo was posthumously promoted to the rank of Detective.
