TheeBadOne
Member
NEW YORK -- The police officer who fatally shot the City Hall gunman was promoted to detective Thursday and applauded for staying calm amid the confusion, potentially saving lives.
During a ceremony one floor below the council chambers where Othniel Askew gunned down Councilman James Davis a day earlier, Mayor Michael Bloomberg marveled at Officer Richard Burt's cool reaction and accurate marksmanship.
"Thankfully, we will never know what would have happened had Officer Burt not been there, been so quick on his feet and been so accurate with his gun," Bloomberg said, noting that Davis' assailant fired seven bullets and was carrying seven more. "We don't know what he would have done."
Burt was in the council chambers when the shooting began because he was filling in for a vacationing member of the security team assigned to protect City Council Speaker Gifford Miller. The council had just gathered for its afternoon business.
"It was chaos in the council chambers and there was one person who kept his head and did his job," Miller said. "And as a result, we're all here."
As gunfire erupted on Wednesday, those in the council chambers dove under tables and fled screaming from the scene. The crowd included numerous City Hall dignitaries and children attending a ceremony.
Bloomberg was not in the chambers, but heard the shots while sitting at his desk.
Davis, 41, a Brooklyn councilman, was struck several times and died at a downtown hospital. Askew, 31, also died at the hospital. He was a political hopeful who once planned to run against Davis.
After Burt, 34, was sworn in as detective on Thursday, the nine-year NYPD veteran told reporters he didn't do anything special.
"I don't consider myself a hero. I just did my job," said the father of three. "I did what I was trained to do and I'm glad everything worked out."
Burt's mother, wife and three children looked on as Bloomberg, Miller and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly congratulated him.
Bloomberg said he went into the closed-off council chambers before the ceremony, tracing where Burt had stood, noting how far away he was from Davis and the shooter, who were in the balcony. The distance was about 45 feet.
"We know that everybody that was in City Hall at the time yesterday will for the rest of their lives be grateful to Officer Burt," Bloomberg said.
Before this week, Burt had served as a uniformed officer at City Hall, often posted at entranceways, screening visitors. He said Thursday he plans to remain at City Hall.
http://www.wnbc.com/politics/2355674/detail.html#
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Sounds like pretty good shooting, 45 ft in a crowd w/no warning. He fired 6 times and hit 4 times, the 2 misses were found in the ceiling and didn't hurt anyone.
"What is most incredible about this is how he was able to hit the assassin ... from such a distance in the midst of so much confusion," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said of nine-year veteran Officer Richard Burt, 34, of St. Albans, as he announced Burt's promotion to the detective rank.
I wonder how this guy prepares/practices for work. Sounds like he's one cool cucumber.
During a ceremony one floor below the council chambers where Othniel Askew gunned down Councilman James Davis a day earlier, Mayor Michael Bloomberg marveled at Officer Richard Burt's cool reaction and accurate marksmanship.
"Thankfully, we will never know what would have happened had Officer Burt not been there, been so quick on his feet and been so accurate with his gun," Bloomberg said, noting that Davis' assailant fired seven bullets and was carrying seven more. "We don't know what he would have done."
Burt was in the council chambers when the shooting began because he was filling in for a vacationing member of the security team assigned to protect City Council Speaker Gifford Miller. The council had just gathered for its afternoon business.
"It was chaos in the council chambers and there was one person who kept his head and did his job," Miller said. "And as a result, we're all here."
As gunfire erupted on Wednesday, those in the council chambers dove under tables and fled screaming from the scene. The crowd included numerous City Hall dignitaries and children attending a ceremony.
Bloomberg was not in the chambers, but heard the shots while sitting at his desk.
Davis, 41, a Brooklyn councilman, was struck several times and died at a downtown hospital. Askew, 31, also died at the hospital. He was a political hopeful who once planned to run against Davis.
After Burt, 34, was sworn in as detective on Thursday, the nine-year NYPD veteran told reporters he didn't do anything special.
"I don't consider myself a hero. I just did my job," said the father of three. "I did what I was trained to do and I'm glad everything worked out."
Burt's mother, wife and three children looked on as Bloomberg, Miller and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly congratulated him.
Bloomberg said he went into the closed-off council chambers before the ceremony, tracing where Burt had stood, noting how far away he was from Davis and the shooter, who were in the balcony. The distance was about 45 feet.
"We know that everybody that was in City Hall at the time yesterday will for the rest of their lives be grateful to Officer Burt," Bloomberg said.
Before this week, Burt had served as a uniformed officer at City Hall, often posted at entranceways, screening visitors. He said Thursday he plans to remain at City Hall.
http://www.wnbc.com/politics/2355674/detail.html#
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Sounds like pretty good shooting, 45 ft in a crowd w/no warning. He fired 6 times and hit 4 times, the 2 misses were found in the ceiling and didn't hurt anyone.
"What is most incredible about this is how he was able to hit the assassin ... from such a distance in the midst of so much confusion," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said of nine-year veteran Officer Richard Burt, 34, of St. Albans, as he announced Burt's promotion to the detective rank.
I wonder how this guy prepares/practices for work. Sounds like he's one cool cucumber.
