Staten Island Undercover Operation Turns Fatal, but, Two NYPD Detectives Killed in Gun Deal Ambush.
A dangerous undercover operation ended in tragedy when James Nemorin and Rodney Andrews, detectives with the New York City Police Department, were shot and killed during a gun buy-and-bust operation on Staten Island. Both officers were members of the department’s Firearms Investigation Unit and had been working undercover to remove illegal weapons from the streets.
The investigation began days earlier when one of the detectives successfully purchased a .357 Magnum from a suspect. Hoping to build the case further, the detectives arranged a second meeting to buy a Tech-9 submachine gun for $1,200. When they arrived for the transaction, however, the suspect grew suspicious after noticing that two men were present instead of one. One detective attempted to ease the concern by claiming the second man was his brother-in-law.
Instead of completing the sale, the suspects ordered the detectives to drive two associates to another location. Investigators later determined the criminals had no intention of selling a weapon, planning instead to rob the officers of the money they had brought. During the drive, the detectives quietly signaled backup units through a hidden audio transmitter, warning that surveillance vehicles had been spotted and should back off.
The situation escalated when the suspects demanded to search the detectives. An argument followed, and one suspect pulled out a .44-caliber handgun. He shot Detective Andrews, who was sitting in the passenger seat, in the head. Moments later, Detective Nemorin, who was driving, was also shot in the head. Both died at the scene.
Within 72 hours, authorities captured all five suspects involved in the robbery and murder plot. The gunman was repeatedly sentenced to death in federal court, though legal challenges later overturned those sentences.
Detective Nemorin left behind his wife and three young children, while Detective Andrews was survived by two sons and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 2004 for his sacrifice.
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