Jun 1, 2009 7:48 pm US/Eastern
Paterson, Sharpton Reach Out To Slain Cop's Family
Officer Omar Edwards Accidentally Gunned Down By Fellow Officer Thursday
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Officer Omar Edwards, 25, was an NYPD officer for two years before being gunned down by a fellow officer on May 28, 2009.
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A neighbor of fallen NYPD officer Omar J. Edwards talks to CBS 2 HD after hearing news of the 25-year-old's death.
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Commissioner Raymond Kelly said 25-year-old, off-duty police officer Omar J. Edwards died after being shot within blocks of the Harlem police station on Thursday night.
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Officer Omar Edwards, 25, was an NYPD officer for two years before being gunned down by a fellow officer on May 28, 2009.
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Officer Omar Edwards (right) seen in this photograph with his wife.
CBS
Gov. David Paterson and Rev. Al Sharpton met Monday with the family of Omar Edwards, the officer gunned down last week by a fellow cop. They offered condolences to Edwards' relatives and vowed to work to prevent future tragedies like it.
"They are mourning and I came in and offered them the prayers of my family – Michelle and Alex and Ashley and myself – and I let them know how much we as human beings feel, and have empathy for their circumstances and compassion for the difficulty now of raising children without a father," Paterson told reporters afterward.
Arriving at her home earlier was widow Danielle Edwards, holding one of her two children as her family prepares for Tuesday's wake of her husband. Also visiting her home was William Bell, the father of Sean Bell, who died amid a hail of 50 police bullets outside a Queens club in November of 2006.
"I know how it feels to lose a human being," Bell said. "That's the only thing I came for – to give them my prayers."
All day police officers offered their thoughts and prayers to Edwards' family.
"The support that we see from the community and from the family as well as all of the officers just really touches you and makes you want to come out and reach out to the family make sure they're OK," said Inspector Michael Phipps of the Manhattan Housing Bureau.
Norman Seabrook, the head of the Corrections Officer's Union, said in this case of friendly fire, let's not prejudge what happened.
"However this went down, it is between the individuals involved. I cannot Monday morning quarterback this, and I will not," he said.
Paterson said he will meet with community leaders and obtain data from around the country to see just how prevalent police shootings are.
Edwards' wake will be held Tuesday and Wednesday. His funeral is set for Thursday.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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