The police officer accused of killing his ex-girlfriend during an argument on a Queens street was arraigned yesterday. Harry Rupnarine, 38, who joined the NYPD 2 years ago and worked on the transit task force, was charged with second degree murder. Though his lawyer said Rupnarine had family members willing to put up their life savings for bail, Rupnarine was held without bail. Queens DA Richard Brown said, "This is a tragic case from any perspective. A young woman is murdered. A New York City police officer is charged with her death. However, the sad reality is that this was, in essence, a domestic violence incident that occurs all too frequently and illustrates that police officers are not immune from social problems that are endemic in our society.” The NYPD has suspended him without pay.
Rupnarine allegedly shot his ex-girlfriend Guiatree Hardat near 82nd Street and Atlantic Avenue during an argument. Hardat's father Sukhdeo had called to ask her if she needed a ride from the bus stop, and he overheard her yelling, "I hate you!" When the phone went dead, Sukhdeo Hardat repeatedly called his daughter, but her phone only picked up once, and he heard arguing. Finally, the father decided to find her and when he got to Atlantic Avenue, he saw the crime scene, "Harry was in handcuffs. I got this feeling that something nasty happened... I saw her body in a pool of blood"
Witnesses told police that Rupnarine had shot Hardat in the face. Rupnarine had apparently told police that robbers had approached them: "Two guys with a knife robbed me. I turned toward them and I shot her...I'm on the job. Please get those guys who robbed me."
Sukhdeo Hardat said of Rupnarine, "He was very dictatorial, and that could tell you a lot. They had their ups and downs. He was very domineering. He always wanted it his way." The Daily News reports that the Hardat family "offered him advice, welcomed him to family gatherings and gave him their blessing when he bought a $1,000 engagement ring and asked for their daughter's hand in marriage."
