Everyone in New York City has fallen NYPD officer Randolph Holder in their prayers, including a retired cop who once crossed his path during the hero’s early days in the force.
Bayside resident Kieran Breen was already an NYPD veteran when he met Holder changing in the same locker room during his first year as a rookie cop around five years ago.
“I had left before he had formulated who he was going to become as a police officer,” Breen said, adding that he teased the new cop as is the custom within the NYPD ranks.
They did not speak beyond general pleasantries, but Breen was visibly upset on Wednesday afternoon at the news of the younger officer’s death in the line of duty.
According to published reports, Holder, 33, was shot to death late Tuesday in East Harlem after answering a radio call of shots being fired in the area at around 8:30 p.m. Holder was in pursuit of a group of suspects on the East River promenade when the gunman turned around and shot him in the forehead.
Holder reportedly died at 10:22 p.m. in Harlem Hospital.
Although he was not emotionally close to the officer during the time they spent in the same aisle of the locker room, Breen said he recognized him instantly from the media coverage surrounding his death.
The retired officer said that the circumstances of his death—with Holder knowingly running toward a dangerous situation of reported gunshots—speaks to how brave the fallen hero was as an officer.
“I know what he was called upon to do,” Breen said, “and [cops] know the moment you walk out today, you may be called upon to give the ultimate sacrifice.”
