# 10-1 Officer Down; Newington CT



## mpd622

10-1 Officer Down
10-1 Officer Down

Newington CT
RIP

Former Corrections Officer Kills Police Officer, Self In Standoff
5:34 PM EST,December 31, 2004 
Associated Press 

NEWINGTON, Conn. -- A former state corrections officer killed a police officer and then himself Friday, ending a 14-hour standoff.

The Newington police officer, Peter Lavery, was initially wounded around 10:30 p.m. while responding to a domestic violence call at a Mountain View Drive home. State and area police came to Lavery's aid when he did not respond to calls late Thursday.

For much of the afternoon, a state police tactical team was on the first floor of the home while the hostage-taker and the injured officer were holed up in the basement. Police used various methods to force the hostage-taker out, including tear gas and water from a hose.

Police did not identify the former corrections officer.

Lavery, 47, has been on the Newington force for more than 17 years. He is married with two children.

Police said Lavery and another officer originally responded to a domestic violence call on Mountain View Drive. A woman answered the door and told the officers that a man was in her basement.

When the officers walked down the stairs, the man opened fire, using an assault weapon. Lavery was struck at least once. The other officer and the woman escaped and called for assistance, police said.

Leonard Boyle, state public safety commissioner, said once the tactical team entered the first floor Thursday night, it became clear that Lavery was likely dead.

"That's what prompted further action on the part of the tactical units," he said.

The police last had contact with the suspect at about 3 a.m. It is unclear when he shot himself in the head.

Boyle said the incident is still under investigation. The State Police Major Crime Squad had just begun sifting through the scene by late afternoon.

Boyle said Lavery received at least one gunshot wound. He did not say whether the officer was wearing a bulletproof vest. The state medical examiner's officer is determining the cause of death. 

If you want other stories on this topic, search the Archives at ctnow.com/archives.


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## kttref

Thanks for posting. I believe he was the first officer killed in the line of duty in Newington.


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## DoD102

From all of us at the United States Department of Defense Police at Westover, our prayers to the officers family and to Newington PD. If anyone has info on arrangements please let me know.


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## massirishcop

My prayers to the family of the officer killed and also to the members of his dept.


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## mpd622

*Funeral Arrangements: 10-1 Officer Down; Newington CT*

Funeral arrangements for Newington Master Police Officer Peter J. Lavery

The wake will be held on Monday, January 3, 2005 at the Newington Memorial Funeral Home, 20 Bonair Avenue, Newington CT from 3pm to 8pm.

Directions to Newington Memorial Funeral Home: Take Berlin Turnpike (Route 5 & 15) to Route 176 (Main Street). Proceed north on Route 176, at the third traffic light, Newington Memorial is on the left. Please utilize shopping center parking lots on Lowrey Place (other side of Main St) and the municipal lot on Market Square (also other side of Main St).

The funeral will be held on Tuesday, January 4, 2005 at 11:30am at the Holy Spirit Church at 183 Church Street, Newington CT.

Directions to The Holy Spirit Church: Take Berlin Turnpike to route 287 (East Robbins Avenue by McDonalds), turn west on Route 287. Follow Route 287 to the second light and turn left on Willard Avenue. Follow Willard Avenue south to the second light and turn right on New Britain Avenue. First traffic light turn left onto Church Street. Holy Spirit is just past stop sign on the right.

Burial will follow at St Mary's Cemetery, New Britain, CT.


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## Gil

Master Police Officer Peter Lavery was a 17 year veteran of the Newington Police Department. He also served 5 years as a Police Officer with the Berlin Police Department. While with the Newington Police Department he served as a Field Training Officer and on the department's Motorcycle Unit. MPO Lavery served 20 years with the Connecticut National Guard, retiring with the rank of Major.

He leaves his wife Pam, son Raymond, and daughter Samantha. He also leaves two brothers, both retired Newington Police Officers, and sisters-in-law, James and Hope Lavery, Sr., and Gerald and Pat Lavery; two sisters, Martha Riccio and Nora Petrash; and several nieces and nephews.

To send a message or remembrance to the Newington Police Department, [email protected]

http://www.ci.newington.ct.us/Public_Documents/NewingtonCT_Police/index


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## Nighttrain

Does anyone have any information on LE attendance? Staging, etc? I'd rather not bother them at this time with that kind of phone call. Thanks for any info that you might have.


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## kttref

The local news said they are expecting "thounds of law enforcement officers" to be at the wake/funneral. So don't feel shy about going. My husband and half of his department are going.


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## Gil

A memorial fund has been set up for Lavery's children. Any contributions can be made to:

*The Peter J. Lavery Memorial Fund
Bank of America
777 Main St.
Hartford, CT. 06115
C/O I. Mounds*


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## kttref

(Newington-WTNH, Jan. 4, 2005 9:20 AM ) _ Family, friends and fellow officers from across North America will say goodbye today to Newington police officer Peter Lavery, who was shot and killed in the line of duty.

Lavery was killed while responding to a domestic dispute call.

Hundreds of people waited in line for hours last night to pay their respects at a wake for Lavery. The family remained at the funeral home hours longer than expected so everyone had a chance to say goodbye.

Later this morning,

Black bunting hangs on buildings around Newington and flags are flying at half staff. Schools in town and City Hall are closed so the town can honor Lavery, a 17-year veteran on the department.

Law enforcement came in from all over the state by the bus load and from far away as Toronto. They might have known Lavery, but they wanted to honor him.

"We go because he was a brother. He was there to cover our back," says Officer Avid Cavedon, West Hartford Police. "We have a very tight bond with our family. We all do the same job There is no routine call."

"When you lose one, it is like losing a member of your family," says Capt. Larry Shubert, Berlin Police Dept.

Carolyn Aselton knows what lies ahead for the family. The last time Connecticut saw a sea of blue was for the funeral for her brother, Brian Aselton. The East Hartford police officer was killed in the line of duty. Just as thousands came to honor her brother, so too are thousands expected for officer Lavery.

"It's just amazing that when an officer does lose their life so tragically that people remember and they are going to remember Officer Lavery for a long, long time,"she said.

Lavery's funeral will be held at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Newington. He will be buried at Saint Mary's Cemetery in New Britain.

The procession of police officers to the church will be Maselli Road with a left onto Pane Road and a right onto Church Street.

Roads will be closed from 10:15 to 3:00 p.m. for the procession and service.

Route of funeral procession









Street closures


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## kttref

Also, for those of you who could not attend, there is a live webcast of the funeral (for all of you also not in MA):

http://www.nbc30.com/index.html

It will be on the main page there.


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## kttref

It is now 12:30 the funeral mass has just begun.


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