Photo Courtesy of NYPD
Detective First Grade Steven McDonald
By Michael V. Cusenza
Steven McDonald, the City Police detective who became an international symbol of quiet strength, dignity, forgiveness, and second chances in the 30 years following the line-of-duty shooting that left him paralyzed from the neck down, died on Tuesday at North Shore University Hospital on Long Island. He was 59.
McDonald reportedly died from complications of the heart attack he suffered last Friday.
According to the NYPD, McDonald, a detective first grade, passed away “while in the comforting presence of his wife Patti Ann; his son Conor, an NYPD sergeant; his friends and colleagues.”
McDonald was appointed to the NYPD on July 16, 1984. He was shot three times and critically injured while patrolling Central Park in 1986, just four days shy of his second anniversary as a police officer.
In a brief statement written by McDonald and read aloud by his wife in 1987, the cop forgave Shavod Jones, the 15-year-old boy who shot him.
“[I] hope that he can find peace and purpose in his life,” Steven McDonald wrote.
On July 12, 2016, on the 30th anniversary of the shooting, McDonald told WCBS 880-AM his decision to forgive came courtesy of a higher power.
“There was two ways to move forward now and that was to love and forgive the boy who shot me, or as other people have done – condemn him, criticize him in the harshest terms for what he did to me and my family and friends,” he said. “But God was there in our lives, guiding us, inspiring us.”
In the time since the attack, according to the department, McDonald has been “a unique source of inspiration and unrivaled pride to people the world over. A quadriplegic, he visited police station houses, schools, church groups and more, spreading his message of faith, forgiveness, and peace.”
“Like so many cops, Steven joined the NYPD to make a difference in people’s lives. And he accomplished that every day,” said Police Commissioner Jim O’Neill. “He is a model for each of us as we go about our daily lives. He will be greatly missed, and will always remain a part of our family.”
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown on Tuesday said he was “proud” to call McDonald his friend and described him as “truly one of New York’s Finest.”
“Over 30 years ago, Steven was shot three times by a robbery suspect and rendered a quadriplegic, living with injuries that were a constant reminder of the dangers that police officers face each day,” Brown noted. “But Steven would not quit. Instead of dwelling on his life-altering injuries, he chose to forgive his young assailant rather than be consumed by hatred and anger. It was a theme that he returned to often over the next 30 years as he spread his message of peace and nonviolence to all who would listen, through numerous inspirational appearances throughout the city, the country and even in Europe.
“But perhaps most significantly,” Brown continued, “Steven’s passing represents an insurmountable loss for the children of New York City. He so generously lent his time to youth anti-violence initiatives like my office’s STAR Track (Straight Talk About Risks) program, which helps children in Far Rockaway “say no to violence” by avoiding gangs, drugs and guns. Steven’s example has had an immeasurable impact on the path that these children will take in life.
“Patti Ann, Conor and the entire McDonald family will forever remain in our thoughts and prayers. Steven will be sorely missed by all who were fortunate to know him.”
