Man killed in NYPD shooting in Queens was on lifetime parole with violent criminal past
An NYPD officer and innocent bystander were also shot at the chaos unfolded
JAMAICA, Queens (WABC) -- New questions are being raised about criminal reform after an armed robbery led to a deadly police shootout in Queens on Tuesday night.
NYPD officers shot and killed 57-year-old Gary Worthy, who has a lengthy criminal past, and amid the chaos, an officer and an innocent bystander were also shot.
Worthy was on lifetime parole for firearms possession and had been arrested in seven crimes since receiving the lifetime parole status in 2021. He has a total of 17 prior arrests.
It all started when authorities say Worthy held up two stores - the Village Market and Grill at 164-01 Hillside Avenue and then a smoke shop at 92-18 Guy R Brewer Boulevard -- firing a single shot with an illegal firearm during each of the robberies.
When he was confronted by police, Worthy ran away from officers and fired at them, officials say. The officers fired back and killed him.
Officer Rich Wong, a neighborhood coordination officer, and an innocent bystander were shot.
Wong is a seven-year NYPD veteran who is assigned to the 103rd Precinct. He was shot in the thigh and was released from the hospital Wednesday morning to a clap-out from fellow officers.
A 26-year-old female bystander was shot in the leg after leaving the Target on Jamaica Avenue. A forensic investigation will determine if she was struck by the same bullet that hit Wong, or if she was hit by a ricochet. She was behind Wong and his partner at the time they engaged the suspect.
The big question now is why Worthy was out on the streets with his violent criminal past.
He is suspected in three recent gunpoint robberies, with a warrant issued for his arrest last Thursday.
His last arrest was last Wednesday for possession of felony narcotics and resisting arrest. He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance.
Worthy was wanted for three additional gunpoint robberies at Queens businesses that occurred between Oct. 31 and Nov. 15. A single shot was fired during each of those robberies, with Worthy generally firing a round at the start of the robbery to gain compliance from the employees and customers.
In 2008, he was arrested for attempted criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a controlled substance and burglary. He served 12 years at Otisville Correctional Facility and was released on lifetime parole in November 2021.
In 1994, he was charged with murder and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
"He was arrested seven consecutive times and he was never remanded, he was never held in, why? Why on Earth would he be afraid to shoot a New York City police officer because he knew he had been arrested 17 times and he didn't think anything would happen to him," said PBA President Patrick Hendry.
Former NYPD Chief of Detectives Bob Boyce says the fact that he was on lifetime parole indicates just how dangerous he was.
"The purpose of lifetime parole is be constantly monitored for the rest of your life, you're a dangerous individual and the state is taking a chance by letting you go," Boyce said.
What is lifetime parole?
According to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, there are a total of 2,647 individuals on Community Supervision within New York State that have a maximum sentence of expiration of life.
And 60%, or 1,595 of those individuals, are assigned to an area office within the five boroughs of New York City.
As to why Worthy was out after his recent arrests, a spokesperson for the Queens District Attorney's Office released the following information:
"In August, the District Attorney's Office sought a total $120K bail on two cases based on the nature of the offenses and the criminal record of the accused. The court disagreed and released the defendant on the two felony cases.
On the same day of the arraignment, Parole also sought to have the defendant remanded pending further parole violation proceedings based on an outstanding warrant that had been previously issued for the defendant for violating the terms of his parole. The court released him on that as well.
The defendant's most recent arrest in November was not bail eligible."
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