Off-Duty Cop Flashes Piece To Shush Rowdy Rangers Fans On LIRR

An off-duty NYPD officer was arrested Sunday night after waving his gun at a group of rowdy, belligerent Rangers fans. For some reason, that's a crime, and Officer David Hendrick, a 16-year veteran assigned to the Manhattan Task Force, faces a felony charge of criminal possession of a weapon and a lesser charge of menacing. MTA cops stopped the Ronkonkoma-bound train in Mineola after several frightened passengers called 911 to report that a man had brandished a gun.

Usually the NYPD is tight-lipped after an arrest like this, but in this case Officer Hendrick, who is also a licensed reverend in Michigan and a Pluto fan, gave an interview to Newsday about the incident. He says he pulled his gun in self-defense after the Rangers meatheads reacted violently to his attempts to shush them. Hendrick claims he flashed the piece to let "them know that... who's boss," but "by God's grace and mercy and love, I was able to put that gun aside."

In case you can't watch the video now, here's Hendrick's defense in his own words:

I was letting them know that... who's boss. I always give everybody two chances. I said, 'You have two choices: Stop the drinking, stop the smoking, the disrespect by everybody, or I escort you off the train.' [One Rangers fan] says, 'F.U.' A rumble ensued. I had my gun on me. They were coming at me; we were fighting, throwing blows. I pulled out my gun, pointed it at the subjects, it was two against one. They were out for blood. By God's grace and mercy and love, I was able to put that gun aside. Unfortunately, it might have not been the best thing to do.

Hendrick has been suspended without pay. Anyone who's had the misfortune of riding the LIRR after a hockey game knows that Hendrick showed supernatural restraint in not blasting some holes in those Rangers jerseys, but really, this video is why the NYPD pays Paul Browne to do the talking.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on October 13, 2009 8:52 AM

Comments [rss]

pastoralia

So this guy faces the same amount of time (15 years) as those two punks who beat up a gay guy? Why does this make no sense to me?

thelexiphane

If they were Devils fans, it would have been his duty as a cop and a reverend to put them down.

TKaisen

Rail Police > NYPD

jaycjay

A Google news search brought me to a comment by someone who says he was on the train and witnessed the incident.

"As a witness on the train, this off duty cop hardly acted as an officer of the law. He was irate and took to violently punching the other man after losing his temper and then proceeded to pull out a gun and wave it at around, causing sheer chaos on the train."

From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/13/david-hendrick-pulls-gun-_n_318366.html

hotstepper

no no no. they've got it all wrong.

officer hendrick is a licensed reverend and was exorcising their evil hockey demons.

patsw

Somewhere, Colin Ferguson is smiling.

hotstepper

nice sweater momma's boy!

theboneranger

"for some reason its illegal" to pull out a gun?!?!?!??!

that whole situation coulda turned into murder because off duty officer big-balls decided he "wanted to show them who was boss".. fuck yes, he deserved to be arrested! what about the innocent bystanders had been not only "disrespected" by loud a few rowdy drunkies but fucking shot by some idiot cops gun.. FUCK this guy

you DONT use your fucking GUN on a packed train because your purdy liddle earsies are annoyed by a bunch of people who are making you feel like less of a man because theyre disregarding your big man presence and causing ruckus. YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT CAR, talk to the conductor and have UNIFORMED cops come on the train.. uniformed cops who will not be bumrushed, uniformed cops who can show some authority without waving a gun around in a crowded train.

What a retard this guy is.

dwayno

when you're playing super contra and your last life is at risk. you don't just keep your spray gun in your back pocket for safe keeping. you USE that shit!

NannyState

Those rowdy fans were punished severely: their train went to Ronkonkoma.

pastaboy12

i applaud this man

whitecastlerock

Drunk Ranger fans should be shot on site-ask questions later.

Teddie Boy Eddie

Somehow, I knew you'd have a comment on this one.

matty

hipster cop!

Mr Mel

If you've ever been caught up in a situation with those drunks, you'd wish you had a gun or a cop with one nearby. The criminals here are the so called fans who were at their anti-social worst.

nicemarmot

See, when I was a kid and my grandfather taught me to use guns, he taught me "brain first, gun second" but it seems most cops are of the "gun first, brain after they get in trouble" school.

TT

guns don't kill people. people kill people.

nurserachet

Toaster don't toast toast. Toast toast toast

Kojak

I agree with John. Hockey fans, especially from LI, are douchebags of the highest order. The Reverend has the patience of a saint.

But still a boneheaded move. He deserved what was coming to him.