On a cold December evening in 1981, a dedicated New York City Police Officer, Anthony J. Abruzzo Jr., a 34-year-old White male, found himself in a fatal confrontation that would cut his life short. It was December 16th in Flushing, Queens, and Officer Abruzzo was off-duty at his father-in-law's home. The quiet evening was shattered when three men accosted his father-in-law, who had just arrived home from work, striking him on the head with a gun in an attempted robbery.
Hearing the
struggle from inside, Abruzzo, a 13-year veteran of the force, did not hesitate. Unarmed, he rushed out to help, boldly identifying himself as a police officer. In response, the assailants turned their weapon on him, firing a shot that struck him in the chest. His wife and brother-in-law, hearing the gunshot, ran to his side and were also fired upon, though they were not injured. Officer Abruzzo was rushed to Long Island Jewish Medical Center, but his wound proved to be fatal.
The three suspects, aged 21, 22, and 23, fled the scene in a stolen car. Their escape, however, was not the end of the story. A crucial break in the case came six months later when the girlfriend of one of the suspects cashed checks that had been stolen from the vehicle used in their getaway. This lead enabled investigators to apprehend all three men. They were subsequently convicted of murder, attempted murder, and attempted robbery. Each was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Over the ensuing decades, one of the convicts died in prison on March 14, 2014, while the other two were eventually paroled, one on May 21, 2019, and the other on December 8, 2020. Officer Abruzzo, who was assigned to the 109th Precinct, was survived by his wife and child.
