NYPD Officer Who Killed Her Family Never Fired Her Weapon for Work

A 13-year veteran of the New York Police Department, Rosette Samuel, apparently shot and killed her boyfriend, her infant son, and herself this morning in Brooklyn.

A 13-year veteran of the New York Police Department, Rosette Samuel, apparently shot and killed her boyfriend, her infant son, and herself this morning in Brooklyn. Wendy Ruderman of The New York Times reports:

The bodies of the officer and baby were found, face up, on a bed in a bedroom that investigators believe the couple shared with their young child; a crib sat near the bed against a bedroom wall, Mr. Browne said. Officers discovered the body of the infant’s father lying just inside the home’s entrance in the front hallway.

“It was a tough crime scene,” said [NYPD spokeman Paul] Browne, his words slightly halted.

Samuel's 19-year-old son was at the East Flatbush home at the time. When he heard the initial shot, he apparently fled out a window and called 911. There are conflicting reports about whether or not all three were already dead by the time police arrived: NBC New York reports that there was a brief standoff; the AP indicates that all three were dead when police arrived. Interestingly, The Wall Street Journal reports that Samuel "had no history of shooting her weapon on duty." The Times similarly indicated that there was "nothing in the officer's departmental record to suggest that she was troubled." Neighbors and family agreed. The Daily News quotes a relative named Jeff Joseph:

"She was a very good girl," said Joseph, who didn’t give his age but appeared to be in his 40s. “She always did good with her life. I didn't make trouble because of her."

Earlier this month, an off-duty NYPD officer was killed in a car accident in East Flatbush, the agency's next most recent fatality.