8 year veteran Police Officer Dennis Guerra, NYPD Housing Bureau, succumbed to injuries sustained Sunday, April 6, while attempting rescue of civilians in an arson fire, in an apartment building in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, New York, NY. His partner, Police Officer Rosa Rodriguez, as of this posting, is still in critical condition at the New York Presbyterian-Weill/Cornell Medical Center's burn unit.
It is of note that this is the first LODD in the NYPD in more than 2 years, not related to the events of September 11, 2001, and the first fire related LODD in almost 3 decades. He is survived by his wife and 4 children, ranging in age from 20 to 7 years old. (Source: New York Times)
Incomplete information has the Funeral set for Monday, April 14, at the Saint Rose Of Lima Church, in Rockaway Beach, Queens County, NYC, NY.
Prior to his death, Patrick J. Lynch, President of the NYC Police Benevolent Association, complimented the FDNY and the FDNY EMS Command, for their efforts in trying to save their Brother in the Emergency Services.
Marcell Dockery, age 16, is under arrest for allegedly setting fire to a mattress in the hallway of the building, where he lived. Per reports, he set the fire because he was "Bored". He is being charged, as an adult, with Arson, Reckless Endangerment, and 2 counts of assault (for the 2 Officer's injuries), and an unrelated charge of threatening a woman with a razor in a March 7 robbery.
On a personal note, PO Guerra lived around the corner from my sister's house, in the Bayswater section of Far Rockaway. I don't know if she, or my brother in law, knew him.