Holly MatkinManhattan, NY – A veteran New York State Court officer fatally shot himself inside the bathroom of the family court building while on break on Monday afternoon.
The incident occurred at approximately 3:10 p.m. at the New York County Family Court building located at 60 Lafayette Street, the New York Post reported.
Sources said the 50-year-old officer had asked his coworker to cover his post while he stepped away for a short break, according to the paper.
He then went into the bathroom, where he fatally shot himself in the head, the New York Post reported.
Sources said a female court officer called 911 after hearing the gunshot.
The officer died from his wounds inside the courthouse, according to the New York Post.
“It’s just a tragedy,” New York State Court Officers Association President Dennis Quirk told the paper. “The union delegate was with him this morning. No problem, he was happy as could be and went into the bathroom and did it.”
“He was fine this morning,” Quirk told AM New York Metro. “He was a great court officer, everybody loved him. Nobody has any explanation about what happened.”
Quirk said the officer, whose name has not been released, served the New York State Court for 15 years, the New York Post reported.
“You would never in a million years would think something like this would happen with him,” Quirk told AM New York Metro. “He would take the shirt off his back to help anybody.”
He is one of five siblings, and two of his brothers also serve the same department, the union president noted.
Quirk said he has spoken with the fallen officer’s family.
“The brothers are very close to him, and they are extremely upset,” he told the New York Post.
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