Former NYPD Detective Indicted for Murder in George Washington Bridge Road Rage Shooting
A grand jury has indicted ex-NYPD detective Victor Romero on second-degree murder in the fatal road rage shooting of Koran Irvine on the George Washington Bridge.
Grand jury upgrades charge against ex-detective in fatal bridge shooting
A grand jury in Lower Manhattan has indicted former New York Police Department detective Victor Romero on second-degree murder, abc7news.com reports — an upgrade from the first-degree manslaughter charge on which he had been arraigned just days earlier.
The indictment came on Tuesday afternoon as Romero made his first public court appearance, walking into a Lower Manhattan courtroom in the case linked to the fatal shooting of 46-year-old Koran Irvine on the George Washington Bridge.
Prosecutors allege the confrontation began at around 6:45 p.m. when Romero and Irvine were both changing lanes while entering the upper level of the bridge, nearly colliding. Surveillance footage, according to prosecutors, shows Romero aggressively tailgating Irvine in a black company Range Rover before pulling alongside Irvine's Volkswagen Golf and firing through the rear passenger window. Romero then drove onto the Palisades Interstate Parkway toward his home in Haverstraw, New York. Irvine, a veteran Con Edison electrician and mechanic, was on his way home from work. He later died from his injuries.
Romero had initially been charged with murder, but was arraigned last week on the reduced charge of first-degree manslaughter. He posted $1 million bail and has remained free pending the case. He did not respond to repeated questions from reporters as he entered the courthouse on Tuesday.
Outside the courthouse, around 100 Con Edison workers gathered in support of the Irvine family as proceedings moved forward. Some protesters shouted "Murderer!" as Romero entered and exited the building. Shop steward Chris Demmerle said the scene was difficult to witness.
"I saw him in the courtroom and barely even knew it was him. But it's a horrible feeling. You know, his family is out there; their faces are out there. I've seen the kids' faces all over the place. They deserve privacy, not this guy," Demmerle said.
Friends and colleagues of Irvine said they were seeking justice for the man they described as one of the finest people they knew. "He was a great man, great coworker. One of the best people that we know. We're out here to support him and hope that this goes the way that it should and not where this guy gets off with a slap on the wrist," one colleague said.
Patricia Irvine, the victim's wife, said the surveillance footage makes the facts of the case unmistakable. "I mean, it's not even like fuzzy, it is super clear. It was murder, and that's it, you know?" she said.
Patricia Irvine also questioned the bail decision in an exclusive interview with ABC New York affiliate WABC, pointing to what she views as preferential treatment for Romero given his law enforcement background. "How did he even get to post bail? Well, it was murder, right? And then it's manslaughter. And they still gave him bail, even though they requested not to. You already see the preferential treatment," she said.
The case continues to draw scrutiny over the handling of charges and bail conditions for a defendant who served as a member of the NYPD.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)