POLICE CHARGE RETIRED NYPD DETECTIVE WITH BRIDGE MURDER

New York police arrested retired NYPD detective Victor Romero on Wednesday and charged him with murder over the fatal shooting of Koran Irvine on the George Washington Bridge. Irvine, a Rockland County resident and father of two, died in hospital after a shot struck his right shoulder, police said. Investigators said the shooting followed a near collision between Irvine’s Volkswagen and a black Range Rover on the bridge’s upper level. Romero, who lives in Haverstraw, voluntarily attended questioning at the 33rd Precinct before police charged him.

Police said surveillance footage showed Irvine’s car swerve into another lane as he entered the bridge from the West 179th Street ramp in Washington Heights. Investigators allege Romero then caught up with the Volkswagen and fired one shot. Irvine crashed into the median, and a caller reported his stopped car to emergency services at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Officers found Irvine in the driver’s seat and saw a shattered rear passenger-side window. Authorities closed the bridge for several hours while police searched for the shooter.

Detectives identified the Range Rover through surveillance footage and found it outside Romero’s home, police said. Investigators believe Romero drove the vehicle for a company that transports executives and had dropped off a passenger in Manhattan that night. Police seized the Range Rover and said they would search it for evidence. They also said they were awaiting a warrant to search Romero’s home. A neighbour described Irvine as “A nice guy” and said he had lived in the area for about two years.