Thousands of police officers and fire fighters lined the streets of Babylon on Monday to bid farewell to NYPD Officer Peter Figoski, the West Babylon father of four killed during a botched robbery attempt last week in Brooklyn.
More than 10,000 members of the NYPD, FDNY, Suffolk County police, Nassau County police and other law enforcement officials that traveled as far as from Baltimore and Chicago lined North Carll Avenue for the funeral at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Babylon. The Babylon Junior-Senior High School, which is located next to the church, was closed for the day.
The 47-year-old slain officer was with the NYPD for 22 years. During that time he earned 12 medals and made more than 200 arrests. One of the medals was issued for his work in capturing the Zodiac Killer in 1996. New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and Mayor Michael Bloomberg posthumously promoted him to detective, first-class.
“Pete wasn’t one to seek recognition. He didn’t feel the need for praise,” Kelly said during the service. “But let there be no mistake about this: Peter Figoski was at the forefront of a crime-fighting revolution that changed New York City forever. He was a hero for the way he lived and for what he helped to accomplish.”
Figoski leaves behind four daughters: Christine, 20; Caitlyn, 18; Carolyn, 16 and Corrine, 14. The girls wrote a dedication to their father that was read by a family friend during the funeral.
“Our father would be so honored and so proud by all of this, and is forever in our hearts. It is said when a hero falls, an angel rises. Rest in peace, daddy.”
Figoski was buried at North Babylon Cemetery following the service.
He was responding to a report of a break-in of a Brooklyn apartment Dec. 12 when he was killed. When he arrived at the scene he came upon two suspects and one of the suspects, Lamont Pride, then allegedly shot Figoski in the face. He died five hours later in a hospital, police said.
His partner, Glenn Estrada, was able to chase down Pride, who was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. The other four suspects involved in the attempted burglary are all charged with second-degree murder.
Pride was already wanted in a non-fatal shooting in North Carolina but was able to walk free because arrest warrants didn’t require him to return to the state. He had also been arrested twice in New York for weapons and drug possession in recent months.
With Associated Press