A rookie New Jersey police officer was fatally shot just two days before celebrating his first year on the job by a man who wanted to become famous.
According to the Daily Mail, 23-year-old Melvin Santiago was shot in the head after responding to a robbery at a local Walgreens in Jersey City.
“Melvin Santiago, 23, died instantly early Sunday morning after Lawrence Campbell, 27, took the gun from an armed security guard at a Walgreens and shot the officer before he could even get out of his squad car. Campbell was gunned down seconds later by cops on the scene.”
Campbell didn’t plan to rob the store, but wanted to kill a police officer so he could achieve infamy.
‘Watch the news later, I’m going to be famous!’ Campbell told a woman, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said during a Sunday press conference.
Campbell was just released from prison after serving a three-year sentence. He was also wanted for a previous homicide in the area.
Santiago’s family told reporters it was his dream to become a police officer. He joined the force on July 15, 2013 and was prepared to celebrate his first year on Tuesday.
“This guy deserves nothing, his name should be forgotten,” the slain officer’s mother, Cathy McBride, told the New York Post. “Don’t give him any notoriety,” she continued. “He killed my son. My son was 23 and a good kid and didn’t deserve to get a bullet in his head doing his job, all because someone wanted to be famous.”
Santiago’s aunt Aggie Hernandez also shared memories of her nephew:
“He’s been dying to be a police officer. His uncle was also a police officer; this is what he wanted to do,” aunt Aggie Hernandez told the paper. “He was just an amazing person. He was our baby.”
Police officers lined up at the Jersey City Medical Center to pay respects to their fallen brother. There were no other major injuries reported in the botched robbery.
Investigators are currently looking for Daniel Wilson, who was involved in the previous homicide with Campbell.
SOURCE: Daily Mail | VIDEO CREDIT: News Inc.
