There’s a wake for Poughkeepsie Officer John Falcone today. The 18-year-veteran was killed last Friday.
Lee Welch, 27, and his wife, Jessica Welch, 28, both of Catskill, have three children together and a history of domestic violence, Knapp said. They were in Poughkeepsie to exchange a vehicle when the shooting occurred.
Falcone was a block-and-a-half away from the scene of the shooting when a report came in at 1:07 p.m. Friday of shots fired on lower Main Street.
The husband shot his wife while she sat in their vehicle, possibly more than once. He was holding their 3-year-old child and waving a gun when Falcone came upon him on lower Main Street, near Railroad Avenue. Jessica Welch was taken to Vassar Brothers Medical Center, where she died.
Additional officers arrived and a struggle ensued, Welch fired his weapon twice, Falcone was shot once in the head and Welch shot himself. Welch was ordered multiple times to drop his weapon.
An officer who tackled the suspect, Thomas Matthews, suffered a dislocated shoulder. Everything happened in about five minutes, Knapp said.
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Knapp said no officer discharged his weapon.
Just had a brief conversation with an officer who attended the Officer Falcone funeral today. He said that it was a sea of blue uniforms and that it was a beautiful service. I expressed my sincere sympathy and admiration for what Officer Falcone had done. It is important to honor Officer Falcone's memory, and looking into the policeman's eyes tonight, I could see that Officer Falcone had been deeply honored. Officer Falcone, and his family, are certainly in my prayers.