On the evening of December 16, 1981, off-duty NYPD Officer Anthony J. Abruzzo Jr., 34, intervened when three men accosted his father-in-law in Flushing, Queens. The men struck the father-in-law with a gun during an attempted robbery; Abruzzo, a 13-year veteran assigned to the 109th Precinct, identified himself and rushed to help unarmed. The assailants fired, hitting Abruzzo in the chest. He was taken to Long Island Jewish Medical Center, where the wound proved fatal.

His wife and child survived him; his wife and brother-in-law were also fired upon but not injured. The three suspects, aged 21, 22, and 23, fled in a stolen car but were arrested after one suspect’s girlfriend cashed checks stolen from that getaway vehicle six months later. They were convicted of murder, attempted murder, and attempted robbery and received 25 years to life. One of the convicts died in prison on March 14, 2014; the other two were later paroled.

Does anyone have memories of Officer Abruzzo or details about the 109th Precinct in 1981?