[PA] Officer Gary murdered his brother-in-law Sunday. Cop's estranged wife says it's not the first time he was violent or threatening

Shanae with her brother Howard Williams

[Philadelphia] Police Officer Rudolph Gary Jr. was fired and charged with murder yesterday for allegedly shooting to death the brother of his estranged wife... Her brother might be alive today, said Shanae Williams, Gary's estranged wife, if police had returned her calls after Gary applied to become a cop, or if they had suspended him after a domestic incident in October... Shanae says she and Gary have had protection from abuse orders against each other and had past domestic issues since getting married in 2002...

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OFF-DUTY OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER IN SHOOTING
Philadelphia (CBS 3)
May 3, 2010 11:51 pm US/Eastern
[Excerpts] An off-duty police officer has been charged with murder after a triple shooting in South Philadelphia that left his brother-in-law dead Sunday evening... about 6:30 p.m. Twenty one-year-old Howard Williams was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was later pronounced dead. "I watched my brother get killed," said the victim's sister Shanae Williams. "My son watched his uncle get killed." Shanae, who is the estranged wife of Officer Rudolph Gary, Jr., said Gary had come to the home to pick up their son. Shanae says the two men began to argue when a playful neighborhood water fight got Gary's girlfriend wet. Shanae says she intervened because her soon-to-be ex-husband has a history of losing his temper. "I thought he was getting in the vehicle to leave, instead he went to his vehicle, got his gun, shot my brother, my brother hit the ground; stood on top of him and continuously shot him," she said. A 26-year-old female and an 18-year-old male were both grazed by gunfire during the incident. Both victims were taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in good condition. Witnesses say Gary then sped off with his son... Shanae says she and Gary have had protection from abuse orders against each other and had past domestic issues since getting married in 2002... Gary, who has been suspended with intent to dismiss, has been charged with Murder, Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault and other related offenses, the District Attorney's office announced Monday afternoon. [Full article here]

OFF-DUTY PHILADELPHIA OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER
Philadelphia Inquirer
By Troy Graham
May. 4, 2010
[Excerpts] The District Attorney's Office on Monday charged with murder an off-duty police officer who witnesses said sprayed a South Philadelphia street with gunfire, killing his unarmed brother-in-law and wounding two other people. After shooting Howard Williams on Sunday evening, witnesses said, Officer Rudolph Gary stood over him and fired several more times. "He's already down. Why do you stand over him and keep shooting?" asked the victim's mother, Diane Williams... Sunday was not the first time Gary had pulled a gun on Howard Williams, family members said. In October, Gary's estranged wife, Shanae Williams, said she and Gary's girlfriend, Amber Colon, had squared off, and Gary had slammed Shanae Williams into the steps outside her home. When Howard Williams came to confront Gary, Shanae Williams said, Gary pulled a gun and displayed his badge. Police arrived and took a report, said Alice Walker, one of Williams' four sisters. "It should have been taken care of the first time," she said. Internal Affairs investigated a different confrontation involving Gary and Colon. Last year, Colon's ex-boyfriend accused her of attacking him in front of Gary. He told investigators that Gary threatened him and did nothing to stop Colon's assault. Gary denied making any threats and was exonerated, according to an Internal Affairs memo. On Sunday, Gary and Colon went to the 1800 block of Hoffman Street to pick up his son from Shanae Williams. When they arrived, neighborhood children and adults were engaged in a water battle, witnesses said. Colon got squirted with water, said Walker. Colon got out of Gary's truck and "attacked" one of Walker's nieces, she said. A fight broke out, and Gary got out of the truck as well. Shanae Williams said her brother and other family members were trying to break up the fight, but she acknowledged that the scrum probably looked as though they were ganging up on Colon. She said she told Gary that she would get the situation under control and he "walked off" to the truck. He came back with his gun... Shanae Williams said she met Gary at a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant when she was in middle school. He was working there; she had gone for a party. They were married in 2002 and have been separated since 2005, she said. They have been battling for custody of their 8-year-old boy. Both have taken out protection-from-abuse orders against the other, she said, and a Family Court judge warned Gary to keep Colon away from the Williams family. "He's been evil for a long time," Diane Williams said. Speaking to reporters, Diane Williams took her cane and pounded the sidewalk in front of her rowhouse, feet from where her son was shot. "He's going to pay," she said of Gary. "My son will not die in vain"... [Full article here]

PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER
thebeatofphilly.com - via:6ABC.Com
Post by Pooch Man
May 3, 2010 at 5:55 pm
[Excerpts] ...[Philadelphia police officer Rudolf] Gary’s ex-wife, who is also [victim Howard] Williams’ sister, spoke to Action News about the shooting. Shanae Williams said Gary stopped by to pick up the couple’s eight-year-old son. She then said Gary’s girlfriend was sprayed with water. “He went to his truck and got the gun, came back and shot in the air,” she said At that point, the Williams family said, Gary turned his attention to Howard Williams and shot him. “Not only did he shoot my son once, he stood over him and kept shooting him,” said the Williams’ mother Diane. “If he’s already down, why keep shooting him?” The Williams family says, back in November 2009, there was an incident between the two ex-brothers-in-law. In that case, police arrived before anyone was hurt. “Mr. Gary pulled his gun on my brother before,” said sister Alice Walker. “So, this is not a new incident. It was supposed to be taken care of the first time”... [Full article here]

PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER
myfoxphilly.com
5/3/2010
[Excerpt] Sunday evening, on Hoffman Street in South Philadelphia, Rudolph Gary, a Philadelphia police officer opened fire, killing his former brother-in-law and injuring two others, INCLUDING A PREGNANT WOMAN... [Full article here]

SOUTH PHILLY BLOCK MOURNS DEATH OF MAN SHOT BY OFF-DUTY OFFICER
WHYY
By: Elizabeth Fiedler
efiedler@whyy.org
Monday, May 3rd, 2010
[Excerpts] ..."Took my son for no reason. It wasn't right, it wasn't right he took him like that. It doesn't make sense you know it didn't make sense why he did what he did," said Diane Williams... Relatives say neighbors were cooling off with a big water gun fight when the officer stopped by to pick up his 8 year old son. They say when the officer's current girlfriend was hit with some water, he got his gun and killed Howard Williams, WHO THEY SAY WAS TRYING TO KEEP THE PEACE. The deceased man's sister, Shanea Williams says she's in the process of divorcing the officer–who's now accused of killing her brother. "He's not getting away with this, he's not, he's not... He's just a loose cannon who feel like because he's a cop he can do what he want." Nearby her boyfriend says once Gary became a police officer, he tried to start fights and he bragged about being a member of the Police Department...  The Fraternal Order of Police did not return calls for comment. [Full article here]

OFF-DUTY PHILLY COP WITH MURDER OVER SUPE SOAKER
NBC Philadelphia
By Karen Araiza
Mon, May 3, 2010 8:58 AM EDT
[Excerpts] ...A source tells that off-duty [Philadelphia police] officer Rudolph Gary's girlfriend claimed her $600 cell phone got squirted during the water fight and that's what set off the deadly incident. "He [the off-duty officer] got mad, came out and pulled his gun, and was like, move, move, move, and shot him twice," said Leflecia Walker, the victim's cousin. The off-duty officer, 26-year-old Rudolph Gary, was charged with Murder and related offenses Monday afternoon. Sources say he will also be suspended for 30 days and eventually fired... [Full article here]

COP CHARGED WITH KILLING AN IN-LAW
Philadelphia Inquirer
By Troy Graham
May. 3, 2010
[Excerpts] ..."He's already down. Why do you stand over him and keep shooting?" asked the victim's mother, Diane Williams. "He wanted to kill him"... Gary also shot a 26-year-old woman in the leg, and grazed an 18-year-old man. Both were treated at HUP, said Lt. Frank Vanore, a police spokesman. Williams family members said the other victims were not related and described them as innocent bystanders. Eunice Simpkins, who identified herself as the street assistant block captain, said she was returning from the store when she heard people shout, "Howard! . . . He's not moving, he's not moving." Simpkins called him "my Howie," and said he helped her and others in the area. "It was senseless," Simpkins said. "I don't know why this man did this"... [Full article here]

PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER
Updated at 05:29 PM today
By JOHN RAWLINS
5/3/2010
[Excerpt] ...The Williams family says, back in November 2009, there was an incident between the two ex-brothers-in-law. In that case, police arrived before anyone was hurt. "Mr. Gary pulled his gun on my brother before," said sister Alice Walker. "So, this is not a new incident. It was supposed to be taken care of the first time"... [Full article here]

SENSELESS SHOOTING: COP FACES MURDER COUNT
Philadelphia Daily News
By Stephanie Farr & David Gambacorta
May. 4, 2010
[Excerpts] Philadelphia Police Officer Rudolph Gary Jr. was fired and charged with murder yesterday for allegedly shooting to death, while he was off duty, the brother of his estranged wife Sunday night. Her brother might be alive today, said Shanae Williams, Gary's estranged wife, if police had returned her calls after Gary applied to become a cop, or if they had suspended him after a domestic incident in October. "[Gary] told me before one time, he was going to make my life miserable," she said. "He really succeeded." The fatal shooting of Howard Williams, 22, happened about 6:30 p.m. on a crowded South Philly block where at least 50 people were engaged in "an all-out water fight" with squirt guns, hoses and balloons, Shanae Williams said... Howard Williams' brother, Antwion "Demetrius" Strickland, 19, said he went to run to his fallen brother's side, but Gary stood over Williams' convulsing body and fired four more shots into his chest... Shanae Williams said Gary then grabbed their son, threw him in the car, locked the doors and put a gun in her face before he sped away. "My son seen the whole thing," she said... [Shanae] Williams said this is not the first time Gary has brandished a gun at her brother or at a crowd. She said that in October, she and Gary had an argument that turned physical, and someone called her brother to help out. "As soon as he seen my brother's face, he said, 'Back the f up' and he pulled his badge," Williams said. "Then he just pulled his gun out and started aiming it at everybody outside." She said police responded and Gary still had his gun drawn when they arrived. He fell to his knees and identified himself as a cop, she said. Diane Williams, Shanae and Howard's mother, said that was the moment when Gary should have been kicked off the force. "They knew from that police report what he had done. Why was he still allowed to be a cop? Why?" she asked. A police official last night noted that Gary had been investigated once before for a domestic dispute that involved him and his girlfriend's former paramour. The incident was investigated by Internal Affairs, but did not result in any charges or disciplinary action against Gary. The district attorney said his office was looking into a reported domestic dispute, as well as claims that Gary and his ex-wife had protection-from-abuse orders against each other. Shanae Williams said that when Gary was going through the application process to be a cop, police called her and left a message that they wanted to conduct a personality interview with her about Gary. She said she returned their calls and left messages but wasn't able to reach anyone. "I wanted to let them know what kind of person they were letting into their force," she said. "I was actually scared for him to have this much authority"... As for Shanae Williams, she still can't get over the utter senselessness of what happened. "My brother died - with five bullets in his body - over a little bit of water," she said. [Full article here]
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