NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — A retired veteran NYPD detective was arrested and charged with murder on Wednesday in connection to the fatal shooting of a 46-year-old Rockland County man during an apparent road rage incident on the George Washington Bridge.
Police arrested 62-year-old Victor Romero of Haverstraw after officials say the former narcotics detective voluntarily came in for questioning on Wednesday to be interviewed about a possible role in the shooting.
Koran Irvine, a husband and father, was driving onto the upper level of the bridge from the West 179th Street ramp in Washington Heights when surveillance video showed his Volkswagen swerving into another lane and nearly colliding a black Range Rover, police said.
Romero allegedly sped up to catch Irvine’s vehicle and fired a single shot, striking Irvine in the right shoulder. Irvine crashed into the median and later died at a hospital.
The shooting prompted authorities to shut down the bridge for hours. Police began searching for the shooter around 7 p.m. Tuesday after responding to a 911 call reporting a Volkswagen stopped halfway across the span. Irvine was found slumped over in the driver’s seat, with the rear passenger-side window shattered by a gunshot.
Romero, who is now working for a company driving executives, is believed to have been taking the company’s black Range Rover to his home Tuesday night after dropping off a passenger in Manhattan. Detectives were able to identify the vehicle, which is registered to the company, through surveillance cameras.
In the hours following the shooting, detectives located the Range Rover parked outside the retired detective’s home, then on Wednesday morning, detectives asked him to voluntarily come in for questioning at the 33rd Precinct, which he did. He was charged shortly after.
Police are awaiting a search warrant to search his house in Haverstraw. His vehicle, which has been seized, will also be searched for evidence linking him to the shooting.
Meanwhile, neighbors remembered the victim as a quiet and friendly member of the community.
“A nice guy, he lived here around two years. He recently put a lot of money in the house. I’m a bit surprised. He’s really quiet guy,” neighbor David Kagan said.
Another neighbor, Hope Dorcelly, described Irvine as helpful and welcoming.
“I remember when we first came, he would help us out. They have some chickens in the back. He brought us chickens, chicken eggs, actually, to welcome us. And he was just a really nice guy. So we’re we’re in shock and we’re really devastated for the family.”
Dorcelly also said the shooting left her shaken.
“It’s scary, I’m not going to lie. I’m about to take it now because I have to go to work, so I am nervous. So it was very scary to hear about that this morning,” Dorcelly said.
Irvine worked for Con Edison and celebrated his 20th anniversary with the company in September.
A tribute posted on a GoFundMe page said, “Koran was a man full of life, love, and dedication to the people who meant the most to him. His family was his world, and he worked hard every day to provide for and support his wife…and their children.”
“His passing leaves an unimaginable void in the hearts of everyone who knew and loved him,” the tribute said.
A spokesperson with ConEd released the following statement:
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of a member of the Con Edison family in this senseless act of violence. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and everyone who knew and loved him.”
As for the suspect, Romero is described as having retired from the department a year after he was shot while off duty when three armed robbers barged into his family-run laundromat in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, in 2000.
Romero was shot in the left hand and the bullet went into his chest, but avoided any threatening injuries.
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