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Fair Lawn, NJ officer killed in shootout
News 12 ^ | 04.18.03

Posted on 04/18/2003 6:05:31 AM PDT by Coleus

Fair Lawn officer killed in shootout  

(04/18/03) BERGEN - A manhunt involving numerous law enforcement agencies was launched on Thursday night after a shootout in Bergen County ended with one police officer dead and another wounded.

Fair Lawn Police Officer Maryann Collura was helping a Clifton officer who was involved in a car chase on Thursday night. The Clifton officer was chasing a red sports car that was eventually stopped on a church's front lawn.

Authorities say when the officers tried to arrest the people in the car, at least one of the suspects and the Clifton officer exchanged gunfire.

Collura was shot four times and killed.  She was the department's first female officer and had served in Fair Lawn since 1985.

The Clifton officer was rushed to the hospital and had to undergo surgery.



TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Free Republic; Government; News/Current Events; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: banglist; bergencounty; broomecounty; copkiller; donutwatch; fairlawn; female; fl; florida; frenchantisemitism; holythursday; marti; maryanncollura; murder; newjersey; newyork; nj; ny; passaic; paterson; police; sprint
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To: BluH2o
Thanks for the ping, C.

BluH2o,

Could be.... but then again, Paterson has a population of Arabs/ME's around the 15,000 mark. Remember the Palis dancing in the street that the media and LEOs were so quick to hush hush and deny despite eyewitnesses?? Could be grounds for not wanting to identify the perp's descriptions given the current political climate. That town is already in the hot seat and they are well aware of it after the morning of Sept. 11th.
21 posted on 04/18/2003 9:41:41 AM PDT by Freemeorkillme
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To: Freemeorkillme
Molinelli declined to provide descriptions of the suspects ...

As I stated in a earlier post, in our ever so sensitive PC world one thing you can be certain of ... the suspects weren't 3 white guys. If so, Molinelli would not have hesitated a moment in giving a description.

22 posted on 04/18/2003 9:59:31 AM PDT by BluH2o
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To: riverrunner
Most cops are lousy shots. Most do not train other then what is mandated. Most do not have the correct mind set to win a fight. Most are surprise to think some one would actual like to kill them.

10-4. Many would rather not carry a gun at all. If they were not gun-oriented before becoming a police officer, it's not likely they take training and gun handling skills issue seriously enough.

On several occasions I have been in defensive training situations where the civilian students consistently outshot police officers in competition.

The wrong mindset plus lack of in-depth training can result in your death should you suddenly be engaged in a firefight.

23 posted on 04/18/2003 10:59:29 AM PDT by toddst
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To: Jersey Kid
It is sad too. Paterson use to be beautiful. I'm even slightly reluctant to go to Garret Mountain anymore. And that Lambert Castle is wonderful to see.
24 posted on 04/18/2003 12:47:21 PM PDT by Calpernia (Nancy = Bipolar - "This has been a public service announcement")
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To: BluH2o
New NJ law. No racial profiling.
25 posted on 04/18/2003 12:49:12 PM PDT by Calpernia (Nancy = Bipolar - "This has been a public service announcement")
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To: waterstraat
I have seen a big city police "pistol team" who could not shoot a 12 inch plate more than 2 out of 6 times at 10 yards.

I find that incredible! I've been shooting relatively casually for a couple of years and I'm a LOT better than that. And, at the range, the guys who appear to be cops and ex-cops are really good (but then, they're the ones who practice.)

26 posted on 04/18/2003 3:45:57 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine (South-south-west, south, south-east, east....)
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To: Coleus
Suspect in custody in officer shooting  

(04/18/03) FAIR LAWN - The Bergen prosecutor says one suspect is in custody in connection with the fatal shooting of a Fair Lawn police officer. Police are still searching for two other suspects involved in the shootout that killed Officer MaryAnn Collura and wounded a Clifton cop.

The prosecutor says a number of weapons have been uncovered during the investigation, but he failed to provide any more details.

Officer Collura was helping Clifton Police Officer Steven Farrell, who was involved in a chase with a red sports car. The officers chased the car through two counties before getting the car to stop on a church's front lawn.

Authorities say when the officers tried to arrest the people in the car, shots were exchanged. Collura was shot four times and killed. Farell was rushed to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center where he underwent surgery for bullet wounds to his arm and leg. He is listed in stable condition.

Collura, who was Fair Lawn's first female police officer, joined the department in 1985.

 
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____________________________________________________________

Fair Lawn PD Mourns 
Officer Killed in the Line of Duty

     The Fair Lawn Police Department sadly announces the line of duty death of Officer Mary Ann Collura.  Officer Collura was fatally shot by the suspect she was trying to arrest.  

     Officer Collura, 43, was an 18 year veteran of the Fair Lawn Police Department, beginning her career on January 2, 1985.  Prior to her appointment to the police department, Officer Collura spent three years as a volunteer with the Fair Lawn Police Reserves.

     Officer Collura was born in New York City.  She was a graduate of Fair Lawn High School and had attended William Patterson College.  She was a life-long resident of Fair Lawn.  

     Officer Collura was a certified NJ Police Training Commission instructor and had served as one of the department's firearms officers and armorer.  She was also certified as a Police Carbine Instructor.

     Officer Collura had received numerous awards including a departmental Meritorious Service Award and the Hackensack University Medical Center EMS Excellence Award for saving a life with a defibrillator.  

     In 1999, it was Officer Collura's suggestion that the elementary school children be given glowing light sticks to wear at night when trick-or-treating.  Her project has been repeated every year since.         

    Officer Collura is survived by her mother, Helen, her brother Paul, and her sisters Patricia Snyder and Linda Hughes.   

    Mary Ann Collura was a well-respected and well-loved member of the Fair Lawn Police Department.  She will be sadly missed.    

      Visit the guest book to share a fond memory of Mary Ann.

May she Rest in Peace.


27 posted on 04/18/2003 4:29:00 PM PDT by Coleus (RU-486 Kills Babies)
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To: Coleus
I'm originally from Hackensack. My best friend's father-in-law was a Fair Lawn police officer for many years. I'm glad he's retired now. There's always been trouble because of the proximity of Fair Lawn to Paterson; it's along that Route 4 corridor to the George Washington Bridge. I'll say a prayer for the slain officer's family tonight; what a tragic loss.
28 posted on 04/18/2003 10:59:54 PM PDT by buickmackane
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To: buickmackane
what a tragic loss.>>>

Yes it is, I am acquainted with the chief in Fair Lawn, all I can say is that after the racial profiling incidents with the state police, crime is up and 2 cops are dead in NJ, and another in NYC, in past 2 yrs. Now the criminals know they have carte blanche in NJ and on the NJ Turnpike for trafficking guns and drugs. All in the name of political correctness.
29 posted on 04/19/2003 6:58:14 PM PDT by Coleus (RU-486 Kills Babies)
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To: Calpernia
Paterson use to be beautiful.

Paterson NEVER was "beautiful." It was merely a busy, industrail town that changed from lower middle class to underclass following deindustrialization.

30 posted on 04/19/2003 10:06:39 PM PDT by Clemenza (East side, West side, all around the town. Tripping the light fantastic on the sidewalks of New York)
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To: *bang_list; *Donut watch
Police ID suspected cop killer
Sunday, April 20, 2003
arrowOMAR MARTI

Police on Saturday identified a 23-year-old Passaic man as the murder suspect who shot Fair Lawn Police Officer Mary Ann Collura and then ran over her with her patrol car on a church lawn Thursday night.

"Defendant Omar Marti is still at large," said Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli. "He is not only at large, he is on the move, and he is armed and dangerous."

"We've notified all borders, all train stations, all airports," Molinelli said.

The search Saturday was widespread, but concentrated on Broome County, N.Y., more than 100 miles from the site of the shooting. More than 50 officers were searching a dozen locations Marti might have frequented in the Broome County area the past two years, according to a law enforcement official.

"Local agencies certainly are aware of him. They know who he is," said a spokesman for the police command post in Johnson City, N.Y. "We have a list of quite a few people to interview."

Without elaborating, Molinelli said Marti was spotted at the Port Authority Bus Terminal near Times Square on Friday morning, and is believed to have headed north or west. Pennsylvania is also considered a possible hiding spot.

As police continued the search for Marti, who is also accused of shooting Clifton Officer Steven Farrell on Thursday, they announced that three of Marti's relatives were in custody and a fourth charged and released on bail. Among them is Omar's brother Victor Marti II, who is allegedly his accomplice in drug dealing.

Police also filed charges against the brothers' father, Victor Marti Sr., who is accused of helping Omar Marti elude justice, and has previously been charged with dealing crack and marijuana. The resolution of the charges against the father could not be determined Saturday, but police said he has a criminal record.

"This guy is no role model of a father," said Mike Mordaga, chief of detectives for the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office.

In Paterson, Clifton police gathered at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, where Farrell was said to be in good spirits Saturday after suffering gunshot wounds in the elbow and both legs. He may require additional surgery, but is expected to recover with the help of physical therapy, said Clifton Chief Robert Ferreri.

In Fair Lawn, the healing may take much longer. Residents, still stunned by the death of the borough's first female police officer, gathered outside the municipal building to pay respects at a small memorial. Others expressed condolences on the borough police department's Web site.

"I cannot believe Mary Ann is gone," one message said. "It all seems like a dream that we all will awake from. She was a great cop that went the extra mile for someone in need ... she will be missed deeply by so many, and never will be forgotten."

Her funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Anne Roman Catholic Church in Fair Lawn.

On Saturday, authorities said interviews with suspects in custody, witnesses, and Farrell helped them piece together the following account of the shooting and escape:

At about 9:45 p.m. Thursday Omar Marti was behind the wheel of a 1989 Nissan 280 with his cousin Ivan Marti in the passenger seat. They were trailed by a white Ford Escort station wagon owned by Omar and driven by Victor Marti II. According to police, the trio had 4 ounces of marijuana packaged in small plastic baggies ready to sell.

They got on Route 46 eastbound in Clifton, where Farrell was on patrol.

But Victor Marti II didn't have a license, and when he saw Farrell's patrol car, he panicked and sped off.

Farrell began to trail the speeding vehicles. He checked the license plate number on the Nissan, but came back with no registration information. Police aren't yet sure why that happened, but they were able to trace the vehicle identification number to Victor Marti Sr. - their first connection between the killing and the Marti family.

The three cars sped north on Route 20 through Paterson.

Reports indicating that something was thrown from the Nissan are still vague, Molinelli said. As of Saturday night investigators had not found anything.

The three cars crossed the Morlot Avenue bridge into Fair Lawn and raced several blocks toward the Van Riper Ellis/Broadway Baptist Church. Omar lost control of the Nissan, which jumped a curb onto the church's lawn. Victor Marti II lingered in the area in the other vehicle.

Ivan Marti threw his hands up in surrender for a brief moment, then ran. Omar Marti sprinted toward the rear of the church with Farrell on his heels.

"At this time, Collura joined, notified by the Clifton Police Department," Molinelli said.

Farrell and Omar Marti tussled on the ground. When the officer tried to use his pepper spray to restrain him, the suspect pulled out a .357 Magnum and fired two or three rounds into Collura. One bullet struck Collura in the neck, rupturing a major artery. Another hit her in the lower abdomen. She fell to the ground.

Omar Marti then fired at Farrell. The suspect jumped up, got into Collura's patrol car, and took off in a hail of bullets from Farrell's 9mm Beretta - but not before trying to mow down Farrell. He ran over Collura, leaving her with a fractured arm and several broken ribs. She was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's.

Backup had already arrived, and additional patrol cars gave chase. Omar Marti abandoned the patrol car at Broadway and 31st Street in Paterson. Inside the patrol car, police later found the .357 Magnum pistol they said was used to kill Collura and shoot Farrell. They found a second gun near the shootings.

Back in Fair Lawn, Victor Marti II had been waiting in the Ford near the church.

Ivan Marti had fled on foot to 5th Street in Fair Lawn, and called Victor Marti II asking for a ride. Victor brought him back to the Paulison Avenue house in Passaic where most of the family lives.

Then Omar Marti called. He was hiding on a street corner in Paterson. His brother picked him up and brought him back to the Paulison Avenue home as well.

After his sons were back home in Passaic, the elder Victor Marti dropped off Omar Marti at an undisclosed location in Passaic, from where he would continue his flight from authorities. Then Victor Marti Sr. took his other son to two Passaic social clubs, trying to formulate an alibi for Victor Marti II

Authorities had made significant headway into the investigation when Ivan Marti gave himself up Friday and was charged with drug and weapons offenses and hindering apprehension. Later that day, Victor Marti II and Victor Marti Sr. were arrested without incident. The son was charged with hindering apprehension and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. The father was charged with hindering apprehension.

Also arrested was a third brother, Joseph Marti, 36. He was released on $10,000 bail and charged with hindering apprehension for allegedly knowing where his wanted brother was hiding but not telling police.

All the Martis except Ivan live on Paulison Avenue in Passaic in a brickface yellow home. On Saturday, the windows were shut tightly, and all the shades drawn. No one answered a knock on the door.

At Ivan Marti's residence on Linwood Avenue in Paterson, a sign reading "God Bless America" and a plaque with a religious quote in Spanish hang on the front door.

On the steps in front of her home, Ivan Marti's stepmother, Evonne, said the message on the door embodies her family and her stepson.

"We are law-abiding citizens. We are for the law," Evonne said, her brown eyes tearing. "Ivan would never take life away from nobody, Ivan would never do a thing like that. Never."

She declined to give her last name. A man who identified himself as Ivan's father stressed that his son turned himself into police.

"My son gave up first," said the man, with his hands in the air to demonstrate.

Records from the state Department of Corrections indicate that Ivan Marti served about two years in prison for a robbery and was released in 1998.

Omar Marti had been arrested before for an alleged drug offense, but the resolution of that case could not be determined Saturday.

Flanked by about 25 officers from Fair Lawn, Clifton, Paterson, and other agencies, Molinelli would not comment on Omar Marti's record other than to say he is not permitted to own a gun.

"At this point in time, it wouldn't matter to me if it was his first offense,'' Molinelli said of the shooting. "The one purpose on Omar Marti's mind was to kill both officers.''

OMAR MARTI, Passaic


31 posted on 04/20/2003 11:37:43 AM PDT by Coleus (RU-486 Kills Babies)
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To: All
Racial Profiling was stopped in NJ along the NJ Turnpike and now, in two yrs., 3 police officers are killed by guns, 2 in NJ and 1 in NYC. It's now open season to traffic guns and drugs in NJ along I-95/NJ Turnpike. And why "pepper spray" and not guns? Could it be that after the Amadiou Diallo incident in NYC, police officers are no longer allowed to pull out and use their service revolvers? There are many questions which need to be answered.
32 posted on 04/20/2003 11:43:08 AM PDT by Coleus (RU-486 Kills Babies)
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To: All; **Florida
Rumor has it that he was Shot Dead in Florida? Anybody hear this??
33 posted on 04/20/2003 11:52:04 AM PDT by Coleus (RU-486 Kills Babies)
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To: Luis Gonzalez; davidosborne
Hear anything on the news?
34 posted on 04/20/2003 11:54:36 AM PDT by Coleus (RU-486 Kills Babies)
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To: Coleus
My father visited his old police headquarters today,. and this is indeed true.Apparently, he took a Greyhound bus down there and ended up in another sahootout with police.
35 posted on 04/20/2003 12:07:03 PM PDT by jmc813 (The average citizen in Baghdad,right now, has more firearm rights than anyone in our country.)
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To: Coleus
It looks like a chaotic situation, but pepper spray?
36 posted on 04/20/2003 12:12:32 PM PDT by Wormwood
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To: All
Man accused in cop's death killed in FL  

(04/20/03) FAIR LAWN - The man accused of killing a Fair Lawn police officer and injuring another officer from Clifton last week was shot to death in central Florida on Sunday, authorities said.

Omar Marti, 23, of Passaic, died after a shootout with sheriff's officers from Sumter and Hernando counties about 10:30 a.m. Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said Marti got out of a car wielding a number of weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle, and opened fire.

Marti was taken to Lakeland Hospital and pronounced dead. No law enforcement officers were injured Sunday morning.

Prosecutors have identified Marti as the gunman in another shootout on Thursday night that killed Fair Lawn Officer MaryAnn Collura and hospitalized Clifton Officer Steven Farrell.

A warrant had been issued for Marti's arrest on charges including murder, attempted murder and carjacking, as well as drug and weapons violations.  Several of Marti's relatives also faced charges for aiding him after Thursday's shootout.

Molinelli described Marti's decision to open fire on officers as "suicide by cop," and said one of the suspect's gunshot wounds may have been self-inflicted.

 
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37 posted on 04/20/2003 12:12:59 PM PDT by Coleus (RU-486 Kills Babies)
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To: All
Cop Killer in NJ Paroled!
38 posted on 04/20/2003 12:28:36 PM PDT by Coleus (RU-486 Kills Babies)
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To: toddst
"serious engagement causes vulnerability to panic"

Hmmmmm...History will prove you right.

One "Dirty Harry Type" police officer at the scene could have stop two students at Columbine High. (IMHO)

However, the Officer at Columbine High after a few shot from a 18 year old punk hide behind his police car, wet his panties and called for help. What a wussy that cop was.

Look what came in to stop two kids!

Emergency Response

Ten fire apparatus, 48 rescue/ambulances and a total of 166 fire and EMS personnel responded to the incident from the Littleton Fire Department and five neighboring fire agencies. Additionally, two helicopters and four ambulance companies provided assistance. The Littleton Police SWAT Team and many other members of the police department were among the first on the scene. They assisted in securing the perimeter and evacuating the wounded. The police department's entire detective division was deployed to the criminal investigation at the request of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. Littleton police and fire dispatchers fielded hundreds of calls related to the incident.

Victims

• 12 students, 1 teacher, 2 suspects killed • 24 students transported to six local hospitals • 160 students were triaged at the scene

I would have shot the kid with the gun, called for back up, grab the shotgun and hunt down the what ever came my way.

One more thing, I have had a shotgun held twice at the back of my head during a hold up. I wasn't scared or nervous, just pissed off that this was happening to all of my friends and I was not armed (because you can't carry) to eliminate these two punks.

If you were the Police Officer at Columbine with first contact taking fire what would you do?

39 posted on 04/20/2003 1:02:11 PM PDT by Major_Risktaker ("No Risk, No Reward")
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To: buickmackane
I was saddened to learn that a brother of a schoolmate of mine was killed in the line of duty.

Officer Ray Giacomelli
Parolee sought in cop's slaying

The suspect was later killed in a shootout.

Officers kill suspect in Pittsburg slaying

40 posted on 04/20/2003 1:22:38 PM PDT by csvset
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