Yesterday, Officer Alain Schaberger was fatally pushed down a building's front stoop stairs by the emotionally disturbed George Villanueva, who has now been charged with first degree murder, aggravated murder of a police officer and assault. Schaberger was responding to a call from Kim Dykstra claiming that boyfriend Villanueva was drunk and threatening to kill her. But by the time Schaberger and two other officers had arrived to 334 Bergen Street in Brooklyn, Schaberger had fled to his father's house on 45 St. Mark's Place.
After tracking him down and getting Dykstra to identify him, officers attempted to handcuff Villanueva. But he fought them off, eventually pushing Schaberger over the stoop railing and onto the concrete nine feet below, where he broke his neck. He was pronounced dead at Lutheran Hospital while Villanueva, who reportedly drank a dozen beers before the incident, was taken into custody, and needed to be Tasered twice. Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday, "All too often it comes down to what it did today, a victim, a perpetrator with a long history of violence and brave police officers and that's what happened this morning. Alain Schaberger gave his life trying to save others."
Schaberger's fiancee told the Daily News, "It's like I'm waking up in a nightmare. Alain left last night to go on duty to work the night tour. He just said he was tired. I kissed him and told him to be careful." Schaberger was born in Vietnam but moved with his family to East Islip when he was five. He served in the Navy from 1991 to 1995 and joined the Police Academy in 2001. Villanueva has 28 prior arrests on his record, and has spent some time in prison in 2009. He had also been busted for assaulting Dykstra in January.
A few neighbors were unsurprised that Villanueva turned violent. One told CBS2, "I think it was just a matter of time." However, Villanueva's brother, Daniel, said George never meant to hurt anyone: "It became like a tug-of-war. The stoop is so small, you can't fit a hundred cops here...It was an accident." His uncle also said they had been drinking before and Villanueva, "never said anything about being mad or trying to hurt anybody." Villanueva was held without bail at his arraignment last night and faces life in prison without parole.
