A Nassau
police officer's murder has left the county's politicians and police officials wondering why the suspect was still walking the streets.
"One can only wonder how an animal like this could roam the streets
with his rap sheet," Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano said at a press
conference Tuesday night just hours after police officer Arthur Lopez
was allegedly shot by
suspect Darrell Fuller.
Fuller allegedly gunned down Lopez after a short pursuit from a previous incident.
A short time later, he
fatally shot 52-year-old Raymond Facey in the head near the Cross Island Parkway in order to take the Facey's car.
Before Tuesday's incident, the 33-year-old Fuller had spent five
years in prison after being convicted of attempted murder in 2004,
according to the county executive.
Shortly after his release, Mangano said Fuller was arrested again in
2010 "for selling crack-cocaine on the streets of Nassau County."
"
Sadly, this violent, felony offender did only nine months before he
was paroled again and caused today's deaths," Mangano said. "The laws of
the State of New York really must change in order to prevent officers
like Arthur Lopez from losing his life."
According to the New York State Department of Corrections and
Community Supervision, Fuller was still on probation for his attempted
murder conviction.
Nassau County Police Benevolent Association President Jim Carver said
Fuller should be locked up permanently after Tuesday's shooting.
"The rules have to change, you kill somebody, you don't see the
[light of day] again," he said. "...They should not be let loose and
kill again. This is a very sad day for everybody."
This story was written by Matthew Hogan. Become a blogger today!
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