New Monument Unveiled In Westchester Honoring Fallen Police Officer Mistakenly Shot By Fellow Cops
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – A memorial unveiled Saturday in Westchester County is honoring an off-duty police officer mistakenly killed by other officers as he was trying to break up a fight.
The monument to Mount Vernon Det. Christopher Ridley now stands in the Court Street Plaza in White Plains, where he was shot in 2008.
Ridley was in plainclothes and holding his gun when he tried to make an arrest for an assault.
Witnesses said Ridley didn't drop the gun when four officers arrived at the scene.
They opened fire, killing him. Ridley was just 23 years-old.
"I'm hoping that this moment can teach others," Felita Bouche, Ridley's mother said.
"When you do something and you do it unconditionally and you don't have to be told, don't turn a blind eye."
"We are remembering him because of what he did at that moment. That was selfless and was good and was noble," Westchester County Executive George Latimer said.
The Court Street Plaza was renamed after Ridley 10 years ago.