In the line of duty, Police Officer Robert J. Bilodeau, a 33-year-old male, was shot and killed on Tuesday, February 12, 1980. A United States Army veteran, he had served with the New York City Police Department for seven years and was assigned to the Street Crimes Unit at the time of his death.
On that fateful evening, Officer Bilodeau and his partner were on patrol when they noticed a group of men exhibiting suspicious behavior.
Their attention was drawn to one individual who appeared to be adjusting a firearm in his waistband. As the officers exited their unmarked vehicle to investigate, the man fled on foot down an alleyway.
Officer Bilodeau pursued the fleeing suspect, and during the chase, an exchange of gunfire occurred. Tragically, Officer Bilodeau was fatally wounded. The suspect, a 21-year-old male who was also wounded in the shootout, was later arrested by an officer from the Mount Vernon Police Department when he sought treatment at a hospital.
The suspect was subsequently charged with murder and, following a trial, was convicted. On January 30, 1981, he was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. After serving decades of his sentence, he was paroled on January 21, 2021. Officer Bilodeau was survived by his wife and three children.
