OfficerFive0

WARNING! contains graphic content that is not suitable for all ages. Officer Rodriguez was shot as he was leaving a 7/11 convenience store this Thursday morning. Rodriguez, an one year veteran of the NYPD, died at the scene. NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton led the tributes at the funural. "Officer Rodriguez service to New York City will be remembered and honored," he said. "We grieve his loss today with New York and the rest of the country."Rodriguez worked for the NYPD's IMPACT unit. Today, one of New York's Finest was shot and killed, with no warning, no provocation.He was, quite simply, assassinated - targeted for their uniform, and for the responsibility they embraced: to keep the people of this city safe. According to witness statements, the suspect, who has been identified as 25-year-old Jerome Hardley, walked up to Officer Rodriguez. He took a shooting stance and fired his weapon several times striking Officer Rodriguez in the head. On behalf of the New York City Police Department, I extend my deepest condolences to the Rodriguez family. Officer Rodriguez paid the ultimate sacrifice today while protecting the communities he served. Officer Rodriguez wass ambushed and murdered by Jerome Hardley. Tragically too, this is not the first time this Department has seen such violence. Eight times since 1972 we have seen partners murdered together, often in incidents such as this, mindless assassinations without warning. Officers know this from the memorial walls in our precincts and Headquarters and from the stories they hand down. Nevertheless, they do what we expect of them. They grieve, they mourn, but then the go out on the streets of this city and work to keep it safe, every day and every night. We have never and never will forget that mission. We will never forget the two young men who lost their lives today. Officer Rodriguez was married and has a 5-year-old son. Officers Later tracked down Hardley and confronted him leaading to a shootout Hardley was shot and later transported to Maimonides Medical. The gunmetal semi-automatic Colt firearm recovered on the ground near the suspect's body.