Street co-named for slain police offi cer Thomas Ruotolo
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, FEBRUARY 2 BTR 2-28, 2019 3
BY ALEX MITCHELL
One of New York’s fi nest fi -
nally received the recognition
he so long deserved.
The corner of Southern
Boulevard and Intervale Avenue
will now carry the name
of fallen NYPD police offi cer
Thomas Ruotolo for generations
to come.
That section of the boulevard,
which sits next to the
current 41st Precinct police
house was shut down for the
parade of NYPD honor guard,
Chief of Department Terrence
Monahan, along with Concilmember
Rafael Salamanca
Jr. and family and friends of
police offi cer Ruotolo, whom
all endured the cold weather to
pay the warmest of respects.
The street was co-named
on Valentine’s Day, marking
the 35th anniversary of police
offi cer Rutolo’s brutal killing
at a gas station on Bruckner
Boulevard and East 149th
Street in 1984.
The tragic incident occurred
when 30-year-old Ruotolo
and his partner, on patrol,
heard the report of a stolen
moped over their police radio.
When the duo stopped at
the corner of the notorious gas
Melody Velez-Ortega’s cake in tribute to police offi cer Ruotolo.
Photo courtesy of MDV Custom Cakes
station, the offi cers observed
the suspect, later identifi ed as
George Agosto fi lling the moped
with fuel.
Police offi cer Ruotolo pulled
his patrol car up behind Agosto
as Rutuolo and his partner
exited the squad car.
As they approached, Agosto
opened fi re at the offi cers
from a snub nose revolver he
had been caring.
Upon discharge, police offi -
cer Ruotolo was fatally struck
in the head, dying immediately
at the spot where he fell.
His partner returned fi re,
but was also wounded by the
assailant. An off-duty offi cer
who was using a pay phone at
the gas station, and witnessed
the incident, opened fi re on
the suspect, but he too was
shot and wounded.
The NYPD conducted an
extensive manhunt to catch
Agosto, searching roofs and
basements all over the Bronx.
Once captured, Ruotolo’s
killer was found guilty and
sentenced to 40 years to life in
prison. He will not be eligible
for parole until 2024.
The incident is considered
one of the most infamous cop
killings in all of America,
let alone New York and the
Bronx.
The event inspired a retired
NYPD police offi cer ,who now
resides in Florida, to create a
re-enactment of the shooting
in efforts to raise awareness of
the legitimate danger the ‘Men
in Blue’ face every day, even
on the simplest of patrols.
“Thirty fi ve years ago the
community and police offi -
cers of Fort Apache and 41st
Precinct vowed to never forget
his sacrifi ce,” Said Salamanca
after honoring Rutuolo’s family.
“I was only three years old
then, but today I am proud to
have been part of that vow,”
the councilman added.
Even all these years later,
Ruotolo is remembered so
fondly by the NYPD as well.
An online memorial for the
police offi cer is still receiving
condolences for the NYPD
member as of press time.
“Tommy was a great guy
to work with when I was a
rookie in Fort Apache! I was
deeply saddened to hear of his
passing that day. He’ll always
remain alive in my heart!”
posted retired NYPD detective
Willie Grimball.
Even police from Onatario,
CA have left condlances on the
page, as well as many others.
Melody Velez-Ortega, a
famed Bronx baker even decorated
a cake of Rutuolo’s
uniform for the renaming
ceremony and current 41st
Precinct staff.
From all of us at the Bronx
Times, we remember the sacrifi
ce police offi cer Rutuolo
and all those that his fellow
police offi cers make daily.
Photo spread on page 45