A Bronx woman was killed just because she was a police officer. The man who killed her was a former convict and a Schizophrenic who hated the police force.
The policewoman, identified as Officer Miosotis Familia, was stationed in her post at East 183rd Street and Morris Avenue. The shooting took place on the Fourth of July when the suspect, Alexander Bonds, walked up to her vehicle and fired his .38-caliber. Familia suffered a gunshot wound to the head. She was taken to the hospital but died three hours later, The New York Times reported.
Girlfriend of Alexander Bonds calls 911 before shooting
The girlfriend of Bonds called 911 hours before the shooting took place. She told the police that he was acting out in a manic depressive state. They went to the suspect's home but Bonds already left. Three hours later, the attack on Familia happened.
In 2016, he took to Facebook to post a video wherein he said he would not back down if he encountered a police officer. He was in and out of the prison system for the past 15 years.
Miosotis Familia shot for no reason
Officer Familia did not provoke Bond or do anything to anger him. She was simply wearing her uniform and was stationed at her post. New York City police commissioner James P. O’Neill said she was assassinated without any warning and the attack was a deliberate act of violence against the police force.
Another police source said they believe Bond knew how to shoot the officer - assassination style - because he fired at her precisely to make sure that one bullet would kill her.
Familia's partner, Officer Vincent Maher was also inside the command post and he called for help. "His call drew scores of officers and turned stretches of Independence Day festivities into a crime scene," the NYT wrote.
Responding officers chased the 34-year-old gunman and he fired his revolver at them. A sergeant and a patrol officer, who have not been identified, shot the attacker dead.
Suspect suffering from mental illness
The aunt of Bonds, 55-year-old Nancy Kearse, said her nephew was recently released from a Bronx hospital following a breakdown last month.
He had schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and had been given anti-psychotic medication. The recent admission to the hospital is not the first one, but Kearse did not say how many times Bond had been taken there.
According to New York Daily News, he also beat up a police officer in Queens back in 2001. His other convictions were linked to drug possession and drug sales.
A look at the career of Officer Familia
The slain officer was with the force for 12 years and was recently placed in the R.V.- style police vehicle in order to prevent gang-related crimes and shootings. Throughout her career, she made 76 arrests.
She was a mother of three. She chose to take the midnight shift as she wanted to spend more time with her family.
