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New information in deadly Village shootout

Thursday, March 15, 2007

(New York - WABC, March 15, 2007) (WABC) -- Black and purple bunting hangs in memory of two New York City auxiliary police officers shot dead after a gunman went on a rampage in Greenwich Village. He was later shot and killed after cops fired 56 times.

We have new and dramatic information about the murders of those two volunteer police officers. On Thursday afternoon, the NYPD released startling surveillance video of the shooting showing both young officers gunned down in cold blood during a wild shootout in Greenwich Village Wednesday night.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says the family has given permission for the NYPD to publicly release the video. It is video that many people will find disturbing.

We are also learning new information about the gunman, 32-year-old David Garvin, who also murdered a worker at a pizzeria just moments before. He was then shot dead by other officers.

We have Eyewitness News team coverage on this story. We begin with reporter Stacey Sager who has the latest on this story.

It was a bloody rampage here in the Village that left residents running for cover. And there is that dramatic surveillance video. A short time after 5 p.m., Police Commissioner Ray Kelly narrated that video for reporters.

Voice of Ray Kelly: "Now he comes back across the street ... You can see Officer Pekearo ducking behind the car. Here comes the perpetrator shooting right on top of him ... Now you see the second officer Marshalik running across the street ducking behind a car. Garvin runs up right behind him. You see a police officer in the middle of the street. He fires one shot at Garvin."

Two auxiliary officers are dead -- 28-year-old Nicholas Pekearo with six bullet wounds and 19-year-old Eugene Marshalik, shot once execution style -- and Alfredo Romero, a 35-year-old bartender at De Marco's Pizzeria shot 15 times in the back.

"Clearly, we are dealing with a very dangerous individual in David Garvin. He was heavily armed and prepared to kill at will," Kelly said.

The real question is why? Police now say the gunman had been a customer at De Marco's and had been thrown out several times, and may have been upset over the firing of one of his friends who worked there -- so upset that he came there with two guns, 100 rounds of live ammunition, sending residents running for cover and leaving two volunteer cops to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Commissioner Kelly said that Garvin had no psychiatric history, but a family member indicated he exhibited increasing paranoia in recent years, claiming that people were "out to get him."

"He was heavily armed and prepared to kill at will," Kelly said. "The fact that more lives were not lost is due in no small measure to auxiliary officers Pekearo and Marshalik who tried valiantly to observe his actions, his changing locations as he fled the murder scene."

We've also learned that Garvin wore a wig, fake moustache at the time of the killings, and had knives on him and all that live ammo.

People have left flowers outside De Marco's. Obviously, a lot of people are very upset about this. That bartender's family came here to grieve earlier Thursday.

This is the first time in 14 years that two New York City auxiliary officers have been killed in the line of duty. And now, lawmakers are already stepping up to the plate saying these officers should have bullet proof vests.

Eyewitness News reporter Lisa Colagrossi takes a look at the lives of the auxiliary officers gunned down while trying to help keep the streets of New York City safe.

Eugene Marshalik and Nicholas Pekearo heard the crackle of their police radio last night when they heard the description a man who had just killed a bartender. They spotted, and armed with only batons, they pursued the suspect down Sullivan Street. The gunman turned around and shot them both.

"Two men who volunteered their time to make our city the safest big city in America lost their lives helping keep it exactly that way," Mayor Bloomberg said, adding that "an innocent civilian was also fatally shot."

The shooting sent a chill through the NYPD. Two ambulances carrying the officers bodies drove slowly past the 6th Precinct, a final salute from their colleagues.

Nicholas Pekearo, of Greenwich Village, has been an auxiliary officer since 2003 and he's a writer who was hoping to soon have his book published.

Neighbors are still finding his death difficult to comprehend.

"He was really, really kind. He was always, sort of looking out for the building and I would always see him in his uniform," said one neighbor.

Also, 19-year-old Eugene Marshalik, is an immigrant from Russia. He's been on the force for 13 months and was a student at NYU. He graduated Stuyvesant High School. His father told Mayor Bloomberg he wanted a career in law enforcement.

An NYU spokesperson issued a statement:

"The NYU community grieves for the tragic loss of Eugene Marshalik, taking from our midst far too soon in a senseless act of violence. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones who are in our thoughts and our hearts." - John Beckman.

"Day in and day out they sacrificed their free time and energy for the people of our city", NYC Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said .

Exactly who are auxiliary police officers?

There are 4,500 of them serving the NYPD and 30 of them serving at the 6th Precinct. Their job is to observe and report to the NYPD police officers when they encounter a crime.

They are not given an NYPD issued gun or vest, but they are issued batons and radios. However, one of the slain auxiliary officers was wearing a bulletproof vest, but Bloomberg said the vests would not have saved their lives.

Auxiliary officers wear uniforms that are nearly identical to NYPD officers.

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