Photo: GoFundMe/Nicole Martin-Depelteau
A retired New York City police detective has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting and killing a Con Edison worker during a suspected road-rage incident on the George Washington Bridge.
Victor Romero, 62, of Haverstraw, New York, was arrested Wednesday (October 21) in connection with the death of Koran Irvine, 46, who was driving toward New Jersey when he was shot Tuesday (October 20), according to The Associated Press.
ABC7 New York reported that investigators believe a near-collision between Irvine’s Volkswagen Golf and another vehicle on a bridge entrance ramp sparked a dispute.
The New York Post reported that a single bullet passed through Irvine’s rear window before striking him. His vehicle crashed into the bridge’s median, and he was taken to Englewood Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Irvine, who lived in Valley Cottage, New York, was a father of two and had worked for Con Edison for more than 20 years, according to the New York Post. His family described him as a devoted husband and father.
“He’s a family man. Has always been a family man, and he lived his life 100% for his family, stayed out of trouble. And I am in disbelief at this point in time,” a relative told the Post.
The AP reported that Romero retired from the NYPD in 2001 after being wounded in a 2000 off-duty shootout with men attempting to rob his family’s Brooklyn laundromat.
Con Edison mourned Irvine’s death in a statement, writing, “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of a member of the Con Edison family in this senseless act of violence. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and everyone who knew and loved him.”
A GoFundMe organized by Nicole Martin-Depelteau is raising money to support Irvine’s wife, Patricia, and their children, Lea and Hiro, with household bills and daily living expenses following his death.
Martin-Depelteau described Irvine on the fundraising page as a man whose “family was his world.”
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.