Court Officer Francis J. Carroll

May 6, 1973:  Officer Carroll was shot and killed when he interrupted a robbery in progress in a mid-town hotel in New York City. He was shot in the ensuing shootout when he attempted to take action.

Court Officer Albert Gelb

March 11, 1976:  Court Officer Albert Gelb was assassinated on 109th Street, near his home in Queens, by members of the mob as retaliation for making an off-duty arrest for gun possession in a restaurant.  Officer Gelb had just gone off-duty and was driving home when a car pulled up next to him and the occupant opened fire, striking Officer Gelb once. The suspect then got out of his car and shot Officer Gelb three more times.  Members of the John Gotti Crime Family were arrested and charged in federal court but the prosecution was unable to produce enough evidence.  In February 2008 a suspect was indited for five murders, including the murder of Officer Gelb.  Court Officer Gelb was assigned to the Criminal Court in Brooklyn.  He had served with the New York State Office of Court Administration for 3 years.

Senior Court Clerk Alphonso B. Deal

July 7, 1988:  Senior Court Clerk Alphonso Deal was shot and killed while coming to the assistance of a robbery victim on West 140th Street in New York City at approximately 11:10 PM.  He was attempting to arrest the suspect when the man suddenly turned around and opened fire, striking Officer Deal. Although mortally wounded, Officer Deal was able to return fire and struck the suspect five times, wounding him. Officer Deal was transported to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital where he died of his injuries.
Court Officer Deal had been with the agency for 16 years.

Court Officer John A. Dauway

October 1, 1989:  Officer Dauway was killed instantly when he was struck by falling construction debris while transitingbetween two Court facilities.

September 11, 2001

On the morning of September 11, 2001, seventy-two officers from a total of eight local, state, and federal agencies were killed when terrorist hijackers working for the al Qaeda terrorist network, headed by Osama bin Laden, crashed two of four hijacked planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York City. After the impact of the first plane, putting the safety of others before their own, law enforcement officers along with fire and EMS personnel, rushed to the burning Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to aid the victims and lead them to safety. Due to their quick actions, it is estimated that over 25,000 people were saved.

As the evacuation continued, the first tower unexpectedly collapsed due as a result of the intense fire caused by the impact. The second tower collapsed a short time later. 71 law enforcement officers, 343 members of the New York City Fire Department and over 2,800 civilians were killed at the World Trade Center site.

A third hijacked plane crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania when the passengers attempted to re-take control of the plane. One law enforcement officer, who was a passenger on the plane, was killed in that crash.

The fourth hijacked plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, killing almost 200 military and civilian personnel. No law enforcement officers were killed at the Pentagon.

The terrorist attacks resulted in the declaration of war against the Taliban regime, the illegal rulers of Afghanistan, and the al Qaeda terrorist network which also was based in Afghanistan.

On September 9, 2005, all of the public safety officers killed on September 11, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush.

The contamination in the air at the World Trade Center site caused many rescue personnel to become extremely ill, and eventually led to the death of several rescue workers.

The following three officers died as a direct result of that terrorist attack.

Sergeant Thomas Jurgens

Court Officer Thomas Jurgens was killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks while attempting to rescue the victims trapped in the World Trade Center. He was a U.S. Army veteran. He had been employed with the New York State Office of Court Administration for three years. Officer Jurgens’ remains were located in March 2002.  Officer Jurgens. Tommy was a long time Volunteer Fireman on Long Island, and served as a Combat Medic in the U.S. Army.

Sergeant Mitchel Scott Wallace

Court Officer Michael Wallace was killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks while attempting to rescue the victims trapped in the World Trade Center.
He had been assigned to the Supreme Court for only three months but had been with the New York State Office of Court Administration for several years.  He is survived by his fiancee, parents, sister, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew.
Officer Wallace’s remains were located in March 2002.  Mitch was a decorated EMT, who had been given a special commendation by Chief Judge Judith Kaye in the year before the 9/11 attacks, for performing CPR on a victim aboard a L.I.R.R. train for more than 20 minutes non stop before the train reached the next station and more help could arrive.  He saved that man’s life that day. On September 11 Officer Wallace emerged from the subway station just in time to see the first plane hit the tower, he immediately called his fiancé to get in touch with the Command (he tried but could not get through as the phone lines were overwhelmed) to let them know that he was responding and would be late. There were several News photos of Officer Wallace giving medical aid to injured victims on the street before going back into the towers to find others in need of assistance when he perished in the building collapse.

Captain William Thompson

Captain William Thompson was killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks while attempting to rescue the victims trapped in the World Trade Center.  He had been employed with the New York State Office of Court Administration for 27 years, and was an instructor at the Court Officers Academy.  Captain Thompson’s body was recovered on March 22, 2002.  He is survived by his two sons and mother.