Alleged Cop Killer Darrell Fuller Transported To Nassau Police Headquarters
BELLEROSE TERRACE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Officials on Long Island want to know why a suspect accused of killing a Nassau County cop and a Queens man was set free after being convicted for attempted murder in 2004.
Darrell Fuller was arrested Tuesday after police said he shot and killed Officer Arthur Lopez, 29, and 52-year-old Raymond Facey.
After a massive manhunt, Fuller was captured by police. He had apparently shot himself, officials said. He was taken to a hospital and was last listed in stable condition.
On Wednesday afternoon, however, Fuller was transported from Jamaica Hospital to Nassau County. The move for the heavily bandaged Fuller was made possible after his condition was upgraded on Wednesday morning, 1010 WINS' Al Jones reported.
Fuller was escorted by a convoy of officers to the Nassau police headquarters. He was put into an unmarked car as a caravan of police cars escorted him from the hospital to Mineola.
As Fuller was escorted, his arm was in a sling, and his head was hung low as he faced cries of outrage and calls for justice, CBS 2's Derricke Dennis reported.
"You deserve it!" someone yelled at Fuller. "You should have killed yourself! Coward! Coward!"
Fuller arrived in Mineola late Wednesday afternoon as the unmarked police car was driven into an underground garage. He will face a judge on Thursday.
1010 WINS' Mona Rivera reports
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The 33-year-old had been released in May 2011 after being jailed the year before for violating his parole. He had served four years in prison after being convicted of attempted murder in 2005.
David McDonald was the victim of that attempted murder. Fuller nearly killed him 10 years ago in a beef over a parking space.
McDonald still carries the mark where one of three bullets fired by Fuller ripped through him.
"I look like this, and I'm looking up into a gun, and I know he's deadly serious about it," McDonald said. "He is scary. I'm scared even now."
McDonald said he was shocked that Fuller was paroled for shooting him after just five years.
Even after he was paroled, Fuller was arrested again for drug sales. But he was allowed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor.
He could have gone back in for the full six to seven years on the attempted murder charge for shooting McDonald if prosecutors had hit him with a felony. So, there seem to have been a lot of missed chances, victims' family members said.
"Your voices are louder than ours and I want you guys to ask the governors, the people who legislate -- if a guy shot somebody before, he shouldn't be on the street," said Joslyn Cameron, Facey's brother-in-law. "You let him back out to kill."
Police said they agree, and want an investigation launched.
"We're going to ask for an official investigation to find out why was this guy not sentenced to complete the rest of his sentence when he violated parole by selling crack cocaine while he was on parole," PBA President James Carver said. "To me, this makes no sense."
WCBS 880's Sophia Hall: Lopez's Uniform Was Removed From His Home Today
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"Sadly, this violent felony offender did only nine months and was paroled again," Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano said. "The laws of the state really must change."
The only support for Fuller so far has come from a family friend who said Fuller is on kidney dialysis, and wondered whether that might have set him off.
"It's very hard for me to say – a possibility – but whatever happened does not fit his profile from the past," friend Michael Rogers said.
Lopez was on patrol Tuesday on the border between Nassau County and Queens near the southbound entrance ramp of the Cross Island Parkway when he and his partner noticed a damaged Honda that was "running on its rims," officials said.
Thinking the car may have been in an accident and was leaving the scene of the crash, the officers gave chase and pulled the car over.
There was "a brief exchange of words" between Lopez and the driver before the driver left the vehicle and shot Lopez, police Chief Steven Skrynecki said. Lopez wasn't wearing a bulletproof vest.
Lopez's partner administered first aid while the suspect returned to the car and fled on the Cross Island Parkway, officials said.
The officer was rushed to North Shore-LIJ Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
He left behind grieving parents in Flushing, Queens, heartbroken neighbors where he lived in Babylon, and a former girlfriend who never got a chance to say goodbye.
"He just loved his family and he's all they had, he was just wonderful – he was the best person I ever met," Danielle D'Auril said.
Minutes later, Fuller allegedly shot and killed Facey in an apparent carjacking near the Cross Island Parkway and the Belmont Park Race Track, police said.
Facey had pulled over to avoid getting a cell phone ticket and was talking to his 21-year-old daughter on the phone. That's when the suspect came up to his car and shot him in the head, police said.
WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs reports
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In a statement Tuesday, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said "justice will be done."
"Yet again we mourn the loss of a dedicated member of the Nassau County Police Department who lost his life protecting the community he so honorably served," she said. "...A cold-blooded killer cut short the lives of Officer Arthur Lopez and an innocent civilian and my thoughts and prayers are with both of their families, friends and colleagues."
Mangano ordered all Nassau County government buildings to fly their flags at half-staff in honor of Lopez from Nov. 19 through Dec. 19.
Flags are currently being flow at half-staff until Nov. 18 for another Nassau County cop, Officer Joseph Olivieri, who died in the line of duty on Oct. 18. Lopez attended Olivieri's funeral on Monday.
"To say that this is a difficult time is an understatement," Carver said. "This is the second time in a week that we're going to be burying someone whose parents are still alive."
Lopez was a decorated police officer and an eight-year veteran of the Nassau County Police Department. He was also a volunteer firefighter and an EMT.
On Wednesday, a fellow Nassau County officer was seen taking Lopez's uniform from his house in Babylon.
"I hope he's at peace now, away from the bad guys," said family friend Nancy Vasquez. "Only the good die young."
A wake for Lopez has been scheduled for Thursday and Friday. His funeral has been set for Saturday.
A memorial fund has been established in the name of Lopez. Checks can be made payable to the PO Arthur Lopez Memorial Fund and mailed to the PBA office at 89 East Jericho Turnpike Mineola, N.Y. 11501.
Note from the PBA: You may have seen other donation pages or memorial funds in Arthur Lopez's name posted on the internet. Be advised: THIS IS THE ONLY FUND THAT THE PBA IS ASSOCIATED WITH. The legitimacy of other funds has not been confirmed, so to avoid any issue, if you want to make a donation, please make your donation using the above information only.
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