The Nassau County Police Benevolent Association has come to the rescue of the County police officer, who accidentally killed a 21-year-old Hofstra University student, calling him 'a great cop who did the right thing.'
"Our hearts go out to the family of the victim here, (Andrea) Rebello," said Benevolent Association President James Carver. "To those who second guess, walk a day in our shoes and see how easy your decision would have been that day."
Carver said that the goal of any police personnel is to save as many people as possible. The police officer is being criticized by individuals who have never walked into a police academy, never faced a situation with a gunman, and never worn the uniform and a bullet-proof vest.
He further said that the only person responsible for Andrea Rebello's death is the 30-year-old armed gunman, Dalton Smith, who held her hostage. He had broken into the home with the intention of robbery.
Apparently, Smith was holding Rebello in a headlock and pointed his gun at the officer, which instigated the shooting. The officer opened fire eight times; one of them struck Rebello in her head. Smith was also eventually killed as a result of gunshot wounds.
Currently, the veteran police officer in question is on sick leave. He will be subjected to internal police investigation once the criminal investigation ends, a general norm carried out in any officer-involved shooting.
Former NYPD negotiator Jay Salpeter said that when there are known hostages, police are told to wait for a negotiating team. Echoing similar sentiments was Rebello's family friend, Maria Sousa from Millbrook,
Defending his fellow member, Carver said that first of all they were not informed about a hostage situation and the reason he went inside the house was to stop the robbery and save the in-mates from gun fires.
The union, backing the officer's decision to go inside the house, said that if he stood outside waiting for the team, more people would have been killed and he would have been heavily criticized for not going inside the house.
Smith is a criminal in the wanted list with a 15 years long felony history. His felony offences include two first-degree robberies in 1999 and 2003, smuggled goods in the second degree in 2000 and second-degree assault and robbery, 2003.
The union also blames the authorities for releasing a criminal after violating parole. He was let go from prison a year early, after serving nine years of a 10-year sentence for attempted robbery and criminal possession of a weapon. He avoided his last jail term by undergoing a 90-day drug treatment program.
"The parole board has to stop releasing people who are violent," Carver said. He hopes that the officer is cleared of all charges pending an internal investigation.
