Shocking Murder Of Two Cops In Brooklyn Grips City As Christmas Approaches
NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- The shocking murder of two NYPD officers has gripped the city, just days before Christmas.
The officers joined the somber list of partners killed while on duty together.
As CBS2's Ilana Gold reported, residents of the Bed-Stuy neighborhood where the shooting took place are in shock, calling the deaths "unbelievable."
On Sunday morning, a makeshift memorial for officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos on Myrtle and Tompkins.
Flowers sat and candles burned in memories of the officers in the spot where they were killed while sitting in their cruiser during a special patrol.
"I lived through this stuff when I was a young detective with the Black Liberation Army killing our officers two at a time. And there's reasons these things happen," retired chief of detectives William Allee told WCBS 880's Peter Haskell.
Shocking Murder Of Two Cops In Brooklyn Grips City As Christmas Approaches
Allee believes the protesters upset over two grand juries' decisions to not indict police officers in the deaths of Staten Island man Eric Garner and Missouri teen Michael Brown were given too much leeway.
"I feel pain and hurt, not only for the police officers, but for the whole community and people in America," one neighbor told 1010 WINS' Kevin Rincon.
Shocking Murder Of Two Cops In Brooklyn Grips City As Christmas Approaches
Officers Ramos and Liu made the ultimate sacrifice for the community they pledged to protect.
Liu, a 32-year-old, 7-year veteran of the force had a wedding just two months ago.
Officer Ramos had recently turned 40. He had been a school safety officer before transitioning to the 84th precinct 3-years-ago. He left behind a wife and a 13-year-old son.
"I met with Ramos and their 13-year-old son who could not comprehend what happened to his father," Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
Shocking Murder Of Two Cops In Brooklyn Grips City As Christmas Approaches
The mayor, the NYPD, and the Bed-Stuy neighborhood also can't comprehend why anyone would kill the uniformed officers as they sat in their car.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has ordered flags fly at half-staff in honor of the fallen officers.
The murders came at a time when Commissioner Bratton has been addressing officers' concerns about safety on the streets.
He said all 35,000 NYPD officers will soon get special tablets and laptops. They'll get immediate warnings and pictures in the field.
Shocking Murder Of Two Cops In Brooklyn Grips City As Christmas Approaches
"Technology is coming that will benefit the safety of our officers," Commissioner Bratton said, "This is not easy at all and we've been through this too many times over the years. You always hope you're never going to experience again."
Safety that's now being questioned more than ever as the department mourns the loss of two of its own.
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