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Off-Duty Cop Kills Wife On Sidewalk, Then Kills Himself
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 6, 2013
Modified Jun 6, 2013
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 6, 2013
Modified Jun 6, 2013
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Last night, an off-duty police officer went on an apparent rampage, fatally shooting his wife, who also worked for the NYPD, on a Queens street, and then returning home to kill himself. A neighbor said, "I just heard, like, about four big booms."
According to WABC 7, Sherlon Smikle, 33, actually had his service weapon taken away from him and was reassigned a few weeks ago, due to a domestic dispute with his wife, Lana Morris, 46, who worked as a school safety agent. Last night on Camden Avenue in the St Albans section of Queens, Smikle shot Morris four times on the sidewalk, according to witnesses.
Neighbors rushed to help Morris; one said, "There were shell casings all over the ground. She was laying by the side of the curb." Morris was pronounced dead at Queens General Hospital.
Smikle's body was found inside the house, with a gunshot wound. A gun, reportedly a shotgun (and not a police-issued gun), was also found inside the house. The couple reportedly had an 8-year-old child.
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone, remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt, and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
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cop suicide
murder
murder-suicide
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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