A Manhattan, New York Judge on Monday sentenced career criminal Tyrone Howard to life without the possibility of parole for the 2015 slaying of NYPD Detective Randolph Holder.
Howard, who has a long history of drug arrests and long-time links to a housing gang in East Harlem, was convicted early last month of the shooting.
The slain detective’s father would not say the name of his son’s killer, instead calling him a “miscreant”. It’s the first time the public has heard from Randolph Holder Sr.
“He should be sent away and never see the light of day,” Holder Sr said. “Unfortunately, he’ll see the sun through the bars” of the prison windows.
Holder, who migrated to the US from Guyana, and his partner were responding to Police calls in October 2015 of shots fired in the vicinity of a housing project in East Harlem, the area they patrolled as plainclothes officers. When responding, they quickly encountered a man who had allegedly fired the shots and also stolen a bicycle. The NYPD said that the man wheeled around, firing one shot directly in the Detective’s head.
Holder came from a family of law enforcement officers. The 33-year-old was promoted posthumously to Detective by the NYPD.
After the Police shooting, many, including New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, came forward, saying Howard should already have been locked up, instead of given drug-treatment options for his past crimes.
Holder’s commanding officer, Deputy Inspector Reymundo Mundo described the night of the shooting, how he and his officers responded to the calls of shots fired and officer down. He instructed the officers in his command to “hug the trees” for cover, not knowing what they would encounter running toward a gunfight. Shots could be heard coming over the radio calls and eventually, they would find the mortally wounded Holder.
Pat Lynch of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association spoke after Howard was found guilty of aggravated murder and other charges early in March, saying it was the right verdict. He led the contingent of officers showing support on Monday. (Extracted from PIXX11NEWS)
