Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Brooklyn Cop Falls To His Death

Officer breaks his neck during struggle

UPDATE, 7:11 p.m.: Villanueva has been arrested and charged with Murder 1: Police Officer, Aggravated Murder of a Police Officer, Criminal Contempt of Court 1 and Assault 3.

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A 10-year veteran of the NYPD fell to his death this morning after being pushed down stairs and over a railing by a career criminal on St. Marks Place in Boerum Hill, cops said.

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Officer Alain Schaberger, 42, of the 84th Precinct was attempting to handcuff George Villanueva, 42, when he was pushed.

"Villanueva began to struggle with the officers, pushing Officer Schaberger over the railing and down a cement stairwell, which leads to the basement," said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly at a press conference at Lutheran Hospital today.

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Schaberger's neck was broken after he fell nine feet.

At 4:22 a.m. cops responded to a 911 call at 334 Bergen Street. A female, 48, whose name has not been released, said Villanueva had threatened to kill her, cops said.

“He said he’s going to kill me,” the woman said in the 911 call. “He said he’s across the street and he’s going to kill me, and ‘Don’t call the cops.’”

A second call to 911 came five minutes later from a security guard at the building.

Cops have responded to domestic violence calls 12 times before at this address, cops said, and the woman has a restraining order against Villanueva. He was arrested for acts of domestic violence on February 4 and 9 and has been arrested 28 times before, mostly for burglary and robbery. He was released from prison in 2005.

When cops arrived, Villanueva had already fled to his apartment at 45 St. Marks Place. He had to be tasered before cops could get him down, sources said.

A neighbor heard shouts from the street early this morning.

"Our room faces the street, we heard screaming and yelling. We looked outside and saw cop cars and figured they had it under control," said the neighbor, who lives two doors down from 45 St. Marks Place.

The entire length of St. Marks Place between Third and Fourth avenues is closed while the investigation continues.

There are no charges against Villanueva yet. He is being held at Woodhull Hospital.


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