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Retired NYPD Detective Charged With Murder in George Washington Bridge Shooting of Con Ed Worker
Victor Romero, 62, a former NYPD detective, was arrested and charged with murder after authorities say he shot and killed Con Edison worker Koran Irvine, 46, on the George Washington Bridge on Tuesday evening in what investigators believe was a road rage attack.
A retired New York Police Department detective has been arrested and charged with murder after authorities say he shot and killed a Con Edison worker on the George Washington Bridge on Tuesday evening, an attack investigators believe stemmed from road rage.
Victor Romero, 62, of Haverstraw, N.Y., is accused of fatally shooting Koran Irvine, 46, of Valley Cottage, N.Y., according to the NYPD. Both men are Rockland County residents. Romero left the police force 25 years ago, and was driving a black Range Rover at the time of the shooting, according to reports.
Police responded to a 911 call reporting a male shot on the outbound upper level roadway of the bridge at 7:18 p.m. Tuesday. When officers arrived, they found Irvine unconscious and unresponsive in the driver's seat of a vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound to the rear of his right shoulder. He was taken to Englewood Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators said Irvine was driving on the bridge when he was shot, then crashed into a median. The circumstances suggested a road rage confrontation between the two men, though authorities have not publicly detailed what preceded the gunfire.
Irvine had recently marked 20 years with Con Edison, a milestone he celebrated in a September social media post. The utility company expressed grief over his death. «We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of a member of the Con Edison family in this senseless act of violence,» Con Edison said in a statement. «Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues and everyone who knew and loved him.»
An online fundraiser organized for Irvine's family described him as a devoted husband and father. «Koran was a man full of life, love, and dedication to the people who meant the most to him,» the fundraiser said. «His family was his world, and he worked hard every day to provide for and support his wife, Patricia, and their children, Lea and Hiro. He loved deeply, valued his relationships, and always strived to give his family the best life possible.»
The George Washington Bridge, one of the busiest crossings in the New York metropolitan area, carries traffic between New Jersey and upper Manhattan. The shooting shut down or slowed traffic on the outbound upper level as investigators worked the scene Tuesday night.
Romero's arrest marks a sharp turn for a man who once served as an NYPD detective, a role that carries authority and public trust. He is now facing a murder charge in connection with the death of a utility worker who spent two decades on the job.
The NYPD has not released further details about the investigation, including what led to the confrontation or whether the two men knew each other before Tuesday. Authorities have asked anyone with information to contact police.
Irvine's death has shaken colleagues at Con Edison and residents of the Rockland County communities where both men lived. The company said its thoughts were with his family and everyone who knew him.
Romero is expected to face a judge in the coming days. The case remains under investigation.
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