Witnesses say a man shot and killed a 22-year-old woman on a Queens street corner after an argument between the two.
By BY BILL MASON AND JOSEPH MALLIA?
Newsday
NEW YORK — An off-duty New York City police officer has been charged with second-degree murder for shooting and killing his 22-year-old girlfriend Thursday night on a Queens street corner, police said.
Transit police task force officer Harry Rupnarine, 38, was arrested at the scene for the shooting of Guyatree Harpati, 22, of 367 Crescent St. #3F, Brooklyn.
Rupnarine has been on the force since January 2005 and is assigned to a transit task force in Brooklyn. Police sources say his service weapon, a 9mm Glock, was used in the shooting.
Guyatree, who had just argued with Rupnarine, was at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and 82 Street about 7:30 p.m. talking on the telephone with her father when she was shot, police said. Numerous telephone calls from witnesses on the scene were made to 911 immediately after the shooting, including one by Rupnarine, police said.
Police sources said her father heard her say: “Get away from me. I hate you.” Then the phone went dead, the sources said. Guyatree worked as a land surveyor, sources said, and was trying to break off the relationship with Rupnarine.
When officers arrived, witnesses identified Rupnarine as the shooter, and he was taken into custody, police said. He complained of chest pains and was transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Harpati was pronounced dead at the scene.
Copyright 2007 Newsday