Officials: On-duty Freeport cop’s death probed as noncriminal

Police are investigating the shooting death of a Freeport Village police officer while on duty as noncriminal, village officials said.

At a news conference Friday afternoon, Freeport Village attorney Howard Colton declined to discuss the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death.

Colton identified the officer as Sandy Delacruz, 35, a patrol officer who has been on the force for 11 years.

He described her death as a “tragic event.”

“Officer Delacruz served our department honorably and with integrity since 2005 and was considered by all to be a consummate professional in police work,” Colton said, reading from a prepared statement at the news conference.

She will be missed by colleagues in the police department and by the community, he said.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the friends, family and colleagues of Officer Delacruz in their time of need during this holiday season,” said Colton.

The Freeport police department and offered and will continue to offer “support services” to Delacruz’s co-workers, friends and family.

Nassau County and Freeport Village police responded to a report of a shooting Thursday night in a neighborhood just north of Sunrise Highway in the village.

Nassau County police said they could not provide any information, but News 12 Long Island said authorities confirmed a report of a shooting near the corner of North Bayview and Randall avenues at 8:04 p.m.

With Ellen Yan

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.