Aunt: Man Killed by Cops in Brooklyn was "Good" but "Sick"

The loaded .44 revolver found in Romero's backpack

The ex-con shot and killed Thursday after he pulled a gun on two undercover cops was an unmedicated schizophrenic, according to his aunt, who says carrying firearms “was part of his disease.” "It was his paranoia," she explained; the gallon-sized bag of marijuana found in his backpack—along with two wallets (not his) and a second weapon—probably didn’t help with that. Meanwhile, police chief Ray Kelly praised the female NYPD officer who jumped from the passenger seat to intervene as Michael Romero struggled with her partner, saying she acted “fast, courageously and professionally.”

The two plainclothes cops were out looking for a man who’d fired a pellet gun at a pedestrian in Sunset Park, when they spotted Romero and asked for his ID. Dropping his hat on the ground to distract them he pulled out his gun. “You want some of this?” he yelled according to the Daily News, before pulling the trigger. Luckily one chamber was empty so Officer Tara Hayes was able to shoot the crazed man before he killed her partner, reports the Post. "If I saw her I would probably cry," said Eileen Kelleher, mother to Officer Sean Kelleher. "She saved my son's life."

But Romero’s aunt thinks the officers used unnecessary force against the gunslinger, who had 34 prior arrests on his record. "With all those cops, couldn't they have just tackled him? He didn't shoot anyone," she said, adding that her nephew “was good, but he was sick.”

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

By Sabrina Jaszi in News on April 3, 2010 3:20 PM

Comments [rss]

sexisicilian

Maybe they will name a street sign after him also ...

Patricia

This kind of reporting is shameful.

What factual basis is there describing Michael Romero as crazed? And, why is it asserted that it was lucky that he was killed?

Luckily one chamber was empty so Officer Tara Hayes was able to shoot the crazed man before he killed her partner, reports the Post.

Is the intention to discount his family's words by describing him as a gunslinger with 34 prior arrests?

But Romero’s aunt thinks the officers used unnecessary force against the gunslinger, who had 34 prior arrests on his record."

But, I suppose we shouldn't expect more from a publication that cites The Post and Daily News as the sole sources.

dadoc

He had a choice. Take the fall, do the time. He made the decision. He lost. Good result all around. Good riddance. No reason for this POS to rack up another 34 arrests. Cheaper this way, and the public is safer. Don't forget, "Today's perp is tomorrows vic." Another link in the chain of violence removed.

tnuc

"With all those cops, couldn't they have just tackled him? He didn't shoot anyone,"

Are you kidding me? Your "nephew" pulled out a gun on a cop. Stop defending this retard. I smell a lawsuit. I'm gunna get me some new rims for my escalade with south Dakota plates. um huh!

tnuc

Funerals for idiots like him should be illegal. dump him in a vat of acid. peace

Petey

He had a gun, he pulled it on a cop, now he's dead. WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT THIS STORY ANYMORE.

Doctor Memory

Okay, just so we're clear here: the story is no longer that he said "you want to see some ID? Here's my ID", the story is that he said "you want some of this?" And the story is no longer that Officer Kelleher somehow jammed his finger against the gun hammer to keep it from firing, the story is that the first chamber was empty.

I wonder how many versions of this story we're going to get?

Stevennnn

Another idiotic quote by a family member.

My boy was innocent, didn't want to hurt anyway.

He was a good boy with 34 prior arrests. Yeah??

FDTW

Ok moms, next time you confront a crazy dude with a handgun designed to turn body parts into a fine, bloody mist, you tackle him and hope you don't get shot.