Edward Byrne (police officer)
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Edward "Eddie" R. Byrne (February 21, 1966 - February 26, 1988) was a rookie police officer in the New York City Police Department who became well known in the United States after he was murdered while on duty.
Byrne's father had also been an NYPD officer while his elder brother was a New York fireman. Byrne had joined the NYPD in July, 1987 and was stationed in the 103rd precinct in Jamaica, Queens. Prior to joining the NYPD Byrne was a NYC Transit cop.
[edit] Murder
Around 3:30 a.m, on February 26, 1988 Byrne was sitting in his marked patrol car on 107th Avenue and Inwood Street in South Jamaica, Queens. He was assigned to keep an eye on the house of a local Guyanese immigrant named Arjune who had repeatedly called the police to report on illegal activities in the area. The house had been previously firebombed on two separate occasions and the owner repeatedly threatened. As Byrne sat in his car another car pulled up beside him while Byrne had apparently fallen asleep. Two men exited and one of them knocked on the passenger side window of Byrne's cruiser while a second man crept up on the driver's side and shot Byrne in the head five times with a .38 caliber pistol. Two other men acted as lookouts. Byrne was pronounced dead at a hospital. He was 22 years old.
The murder prompted nationwide outrage. Ronald Reagan personally called the Byrne family to offer condolences. George H.W. Bush carried Byrne's badge with him on his campaign for president in 1988.
The four killers were identified as Philip Copeland, Todd Scott, Scott Cobb, David McClary. All four were apprehended within a week of the murder and were all eventually convicted. The killing was ordered from jail by drug dealer Howard "Pappy" Mason. Mason's crime partner Lorenzo "Fat Cat" Nichols was also implicated, although it has been determined that he was unaware of Mason's orders. Nichols was never charged for the crime.
The murder had the opposite effect from what was intended. Rather than intimidate the public and police it prompted a concentrated crackdown which saw the two kingpins put behind bars. Mason was eventually convicted on federal charges which included ordering the killing of officer Byrne. he is serving his life sentence in the ADX Florence supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.
[edit] Legacy
In honor of Police Office Edward Byrne, 91st Avenue was renamed P.O. Edward R. Byrne Avenue. Pol. Officer Edward Byrne Park in Queens was dedicated on August 3, 1995. A school in the Bronx was also named in his honor.
