Story Created:
Feb 27, 2011 at 6:14 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Feb 28, 2011 at 6:00 AM EDT
NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. (WKTV) - Sunday marks five years to the day that New Hartford Police Officer Joseph Corr was shot and killed in the line of duty as he chased after burglary suspects. Members of the community say they will never forget the night Corr was shot.
Around 8:00 p.m. Lennon's Jewlers was robbed which led to the chase the ensued up Route 5, ending at the Byrne Dairy in Kirkland where Corr was killed.
Four people were part of the group that committed the robbery at the Commercial Drive jewlery store. They fled the scene down Route 5, when they finally crashed into a gas pump at the Byrne Dairy store. The suspects then fled on foot through the woods behind the convience store.
One suspect was apprehended quickly. Corr went after another suspect, Walter Richardson, who shot and killed him. Richardson made his way to a Pennsylvania home. Authorities from around the region, including the United States Marshalls searched for the suspect until he was killed by police in a shoot-out.
The other suspects in the case were all charged and convicted with multiple crimes. They were Toussaint Davis, who orginally told police he was John Healy, Robert Ward and Marion Pegese.
The days following, the community was stunned over the tragedy. Hundreds showed their support and attend the calling hours and funeral of Officer Corr.
In the years following the murder, many tributes took place to remember the legacy of Office Joseph Corr. State Route 840 was named the Officer Joseph D. Corr Memorial Highway.
