Police have arrested four Ozone Park men in connection with the murder of a police officer.
Officer Peter Figoski of the 75th Precinct was shot in the face and killed when he responded to a reported burglary in progress at 25 Pine Street in Brooklyn at 2:15 a.m. on Monday.
The alleged shooter, 27-year-old Lamont Pride, was quickly chased down by Figoski’s partner, Glenn Estrada, and caught. Four other suspects, all living in Ozone Park, were apprehended within 24 hours.
Kevin Santos, 30, of 133-16 85 St., and Ariel Tejada, 22, of 132-28 89 St., live blocks away from each other on either side of Pitkin Avenue just west of Cross Bay Boulevard. Police said Santos escaped the scene of the shooting when Estrada ran after Pride.
“Officer Estrada released the man he was struggling with and pursued the gunman, cap- turing him after a foot pursuit of several blocks at the corner of Fulton and Chestnut streets,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said in a statement. The gun Pride allegedly used, a 9mm Ruger semi-automatic pistol, had apparently jammed after one shot, with a bullet casing stuck in the chamber, Kelly said.
Nelson Moralez, 27, of 97- 35 84 St., and Michael Velez, 21, of 86-03 102 Ave., live almost directly across 101st Avenue from each other a few blocks north of the other two alleged accomplices.
Police said Velez was the driver of the operation meant to shakedown a tenant at Pine Street for money. The victim told police they got away with $770 cash.
Moralez and Tejada allegedly posed as good Samaritans who happened to be passing by at the scene of the crime and weren’t arrested until they were brought in for questioning and couldn’t maintain a coherent story.
Three of the men from Ozone Park had wrap sheets. Past arrests ranged from possession of marijuana to assault and robbery.
All five were charged with two counts of second- degree murder. All but Moralez were charged with two counts of carrying a loaded firearm, and Pride was additionally charged with first-degree murder and aggravated murder—killing a police officer.
Pride’s last residence is listed in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he was wanted for a previous shooting. He had not been extradited despite being arrested repeatedly in New York.
Figoski was a well-respected 22-year veteran of the 75th Precinct and father of four.
“Officer Figoski has been an active police officer with over 200 arrests, nearly half felony arrests. He has 12 medals awarded, including eight for exceptional police duty,” Kelly said.
By Jeremiah Dobruck
