The DEA Honor Roll

On November 13, 1989 at approximately 1:45 P.M., Detective Guerzon and Detective Keith Williams were shot and killed be a prisoner they were transporting to Riker’s Island.  The Detectives had picked up the prison at Riker’s Island in the morning and brought him to the Queen’s District Attorney’s office so a Polygraph test could be conducted.  After arriving they secured the prisoner in a room by handcuffing him to a pipe on the wall they left the suspect alone. While he was left alone the suspect was able to break into a locker that was within his reach and steal a gun.  After the polygraph test was cancelled the Detectives placed the suspect, who was rear cuffed, back into their car and began to drive back to Riker’s Island.  As the officers drove on the Grand Central Parkway near LaGuardia Airport the suspect suddenly produced a hand-gun and opened fire on the two detectives.  Detective Guerzon was shot twice and Detective Williams three times.  The attack was sudden and neither office had time to return fire.  After the vehicle collided with a utility pole on the shoulder of the roadway, the prisoner un-cuffed himself with the detective’s handcuff keys and fled on foot.  The gunman was apprehended then hours later in Brooklyn.  He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.  Detective Guerzon was assigned to the Queens District Attorney Squad. He had been on the force for 20 years.