Thousands of grief-stricken family members, colleagues friends, and community members flooded Brooklyn’s Coney Island Avenue of Little Pakistan fame Thursday (February 9) to pay respects to 26-year-old Pakistani-American NYPD officer Adeed Fayaz.
Married and a father of a 3- and 4-year-old sons, Fayaz was shot in a botched robbery on February 4 in East New York where he and his brother-in-law went to buy a car Fayaz had arranged to purchase on Facebook Marketplace. He was not on duty at the time.
According to the investigation and family sources, Fayaz arranged to buy a Honda Pilot for $24,000. He initially planned to go to the sale point with his brother-in-law Friday night but that got pushed to Saturday. They rode together in the brother-in-law’s vehicle to Ruby Street by McDonald’s in East New York for the exchange.
A man in a black jacket met the pair with a beard and mustache walked them to a driveway and jokingly asked if either was carrying a gun, officials said. They both said no, at which point officials said Jones put Fayaz in a headlock, demanded the $24,000 and pointed the weapon at the brother-in-law when Fayaz said he didn’t have it.
It was reported that Fayaz managed to untangle himself from the headlock, and the gun went off. Jones allegedly kept firing at the brothers as he ran away. The brother-in-law grabbed Fayaz’s weapon from its holster and fired at least six times. The suspect was not hit and got away from the scene at that point. Fayaz, though, was down.
Officer Fayaz was rushed to the Brookdale Hospital where he remained on life support. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the police commissioner visited Fayaz in the hospital and also spoke to the media. Officer Fayaz was pronounced dead on Tuesday, February 7. His death sent shock waves across the city, especially in the Pakistani American community. Scion of immigrants from Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Fayaz had been serving in NYPD for five years.
Mayor Eric Adams, who spoke to Fayaz’s family in the aftermath of the shooting, along with NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell, were among thousands who attended his Janaza prayers. The Makki Masjid Imam lead the prayer and Dua. He prayed to Allah to grant Officer Fayaz the highest place in Jannah. The Imam also prayed for the Pakistani police officers who were martyred in the January 30th Police Line mosque attack in Peshawar.
According to community and official sources, almost 10,000 people and police officers attended Officer Fayaz’s funeral. At least six blocks of Coney Island Avenue were blocked with frequent chants of Allah o Akbar. NYPD helicopters gave a fly-past as Officer Fayaz’s NYPD flag-draped casket into a waiting funeral van. The funeral service received unprecedented coverage as several local TV channels broadcast the funeral services live.
(Courtesy Fox 5 New York)
“Police Officer Adeed Fayaz was a father, a husband, a son, and a protector of our great city. Officer Fayaz was shot Saturday night and he tragically succumbed to his injuries today. Our Department deeply mourns his passing, and his family and loved ones are in our prayers,” Commissioner Sewell said in a Tweet.
This was a reprehensible taking of a police officer, the violent robbery of a father from his family. This city needs its good fathers” said Hijab-wearing Commissioner Sewell ahead of Officer Adeed’s Namaz-e-Janaza at Makki Masjid.
At this time of incomprehensible loss, we are reminded of how truly precious our guardians, like Police Officer Adeed Fayaz, are. Officer Fayaz protected our city and served with bravery and compassion. The NYPD will always be there to support his family and honor his legacy. pic.twitter.com/YxD5npqX4A
— Commissioner Sewell (@NYPDPC) February 9, 2023
The viewing service was held at AL-Rayaan Muslim Funeral Services, located at 1093 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn. While his Namaz e Jannaza was held at Makki Masjid located at 1089 Coney Island Avenue in the ‘Little Pakistan’.
NYPD Officer Adeed Fayaz swore to serve and protect. He became a symbol of what’s great about our country and today we celebrated his life.
Let us turn this painful moment into a purposeful one in honor of his memory.
His loved ones and the NYPD are in all our prayers. pic.twitter.com/6PTp1UTaKd
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) February 9, 2023
He was later laid to rest with full honors in Pinelawn Memorial Park Cemetry in Farmingdale, Long Island.
Police Officer Adeed Fayaz was a father, a husband, a son, and a protector of our great city.
Officer Fayaz was shot Saturday night and he tragically succumbed to his injuries today.
Our Department deeply mourns his passing, and his family and loved ones are in our prayers. pic.twitter.com/zK9BdHwvM1
— Commissioner Sewell (@NYPDPC) February 7, 2023
Police took into custody 38 years old Randy Jones into custody. He is expected to face murder charges. His arrest was first announced by Yaakov (Jack) Kaplan, Vice-chair of Community Board 12, Brooklyn, in a tweet.
The suspect in the shooting of off-duty NYPD officer Adeed Fayaz Saturday evening, was arrested at a hotel in Spring Valley, NY.
The man in his 40s was taken into custody by the Regional Fugitive Task Force after a widespread manhunt.
They arrested him using Fayaz’s handcuffs. pic.twitter.com/LeiS6heQ80
— Yaakov (Jack) Kaplan (@JackKaplanNY) February 6, 2023
Officials said the purported vehicle seller-turned-gunman was arrested at a Days Inn in Rockland County, 50 miles away. According to NBC, an NYPD detective assigned to the US Marshals Regional Task Force apprehended the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Randy Jones of Manhattan, using handcuffs belonging to the late officer.
Detectives walk the criminal, who shot Police Officer Adeed Fayaz, to face justice.
Every Detective investigating this tragic murder worked relentlessly to ensure a quick apprehension for our brother in blue. pic.twitter.com/njv7meKqBv
— Detectives’ Endowment Association (@NYCPDDEA) February 8, 2023
The Pakistani American Law Enforcement Society (PALS) had asked the community to pray for Adeed as he was fighting for his life. Adeed leaves behind a wife, two young children and extended family to mourn his death.
The news of his death spread like jungle fire in the Pakistani community with a stream of condolences from community leaders and commoners.
Many compared the impressive farewell accorded to Officer Adeed Fayaz, whom everyone called a Shaheed, to the over 100 police officers who lost their lives in the January 30th Peshawar Police Lines terror attack.
“Our government, media and the people at large failed to pay the respects the cops who lost their lives in the attack deserved,” said one mourner while praising the NYPD and the rich American traditions. “This is why America is great and this is why I am a proud Pakistani American,” he added, requesting anonymity.
Pakistan Week extends its deepest condolences to the family of Officer Adeed Fayaz and prays to Allah to grant him the highest place in Jannah and give fortitude to his family to bear this irreparable loss. Ameen
Glimpses of the funeral (Photos from video clips)
