Robert Venable was a 35-year-old New York City Transit Police Officer killed in the line of duty on September 22, 1987, in Brooklyn. He and partners were transporting prisoners when they were diverted to a report of armed men at an abandoned building on Pitkin Avenue. As the officers approached, they encountered the armed suspects and one, 22-year-old Francisco Rodriguez, opened fire and struck Officer Venable. He was taken to a nearby hospital and died three hours later.

Francisco Rodriguez was arrested after the shooting. He was convicted of second-degree murder in Officer Venable’s death and received a sentence of 25 years to life; he also faced and received an additional 12.5 years for a drug possession charge. Did anyone who knew Officer Venable or who was in that neighborhood that night come forward with information about what led to the encounter?