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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 147-06
May 11, 2006

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND POLICE COMMISSIONER KELLY HONOR DETECTIVE DILLON STEWART, DETECTIVE DANIEL ENCHAUTEGUI AND SCHOOL SAFETY AGENT VIVIAN SAMUELS-BENJAMIN AT ONE POLICE PLAZA MEMORIAL WALL

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly today honored Detective Dillon Stewart, Detective Daniel Enchautegui and School Safety Agent Vivian Samuels-Benjamin by adding their names to the Memorial Wall at One Police Plaza.  Their families joined the Mayor and Commissioner at the ceremony.

"The three individuals we honor today served our City with an immeasurable amount of courage, dedication and bravery," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Every day, they answered the call to serve - keeping guns off our streets, driving crime out of our schools, and protecting our City's neighborhoods. Detectives Stewart and Enchautegui and School Safety Agent Samuels-Benjamin were truly New York's Finest and for those who walk by this wall, will always be reminded of their sacrifice to our City."

"You can measure New York's greatness by the men and women who've made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting its public," said Police Commissioner Kelly. "New York has no rival by that measure, and the members of the service being memorialized today have no equal."

On Monday, November 28, 2005, Police Officer Dillon Stewart, 35, was patrolling the 70th Precinct in uniform and in an unmarked police car when he and his partner attempted to stop a motorist who had run a red light at the corner of Church and Flatbush Avenues in Brooklyn. Officer Stewart, who was driving at the time, was shot through the heart when the suspect fired five times at the Police Officers. Despite being mortally wounded, Officer Stewart continued to pursue the suspect to a garage at 100 East 21st Street. Several hours later, the suspect was apprehended at an apartment building a block away, where the illegal gun used to shoot Officer Stewart was also recovered.

Officer Stewart was transported to Kings County Hospital where he succumbed to the gunshot wound that penetrated the left ventricle of his heart. Allan Cameron, of 131 East 21st Street in Brooklyn, was charged with Detective Stewart's murder, as well as the attempted murder and robbery of off-duty Police Officer Wiener Philippe on November 19, 2005.

Officer Stewart was appointed to the NYPD on March 10, 2000 and was posthumously promoted to Detective. He was the recipient of four commendations for Excellent Police Duty. He is survived by his wife Leslyn and his two daughters, Alexis, 6, and Samantha who is 5-months-old.

On Saturday, December 10, 2005, off-duty Police Officer Daniel Enchautegui, 28, heard the sound of glass breaking from the house next door to his home in the Bronx. Officer Enchautegui called 911 and reported a burglary in progress, identifying himself as a New York City Police Officer. He provided a detailed description of the location and the clothes he was wearing. Officer Enchautegui then went outside to meet with police when he encountered the two suspects. An exchange of gunfire between the suspects and Officer Enchautegui ensued, resulting in all three men being struck.

A patrol car from the 45th Precinct heard the gun shots and immediately responded to the scene.  Upon arrival, they observed a male running towards a grey car parked on Westchester Avenue and Arnow Place. The suspect was apprehended and found to have a gunshot wound to the body. Officers then saw another male running towards them with a gun in his hand. The suspect was ordered to drop the weapon, at which point he fell to the ground. Officer Enchautegui was found lying in the driveway with a gunshot wound to the body, his gun lying at his side. His police shield was around his neck and a cell phone was in his hand. Officer Enchautegui was transported to Jacobi Hospital where he later died from his gunshot wound.

Police Officer Enchautegui was appointed to the NYPD on July 1, 2002 and was posthumously promoted to Detective. He is survived by his parents, Pedro and Maria Rosa, and sister, Yolanda Rosa Nazario.

On Friday, December 16, 2005, School Safety Agent Vivian A. Samuels-Benjamin, 56, of the Precinct School Safety Unit, was attempting to remove a disorderly student from a holiday dance at a Brooklyn school. The student was resisting attempts to be escorted from the school when SSA Samuels-Benjamin began to suffer from shortness of breath. She was transported to Kings County Hospital where she died a short time later of cardiac arrest.

SSA Samuels-Benjamin was appointed to the Department of Education in 1981. In her distinguished 24-year career, she helped protect the city's schools, providing a safe learning environment for students. During her career she made several arrests, but more importantly, SSA Samuels-Benjamin brought her signature warmth and discipline to the students she saw every day. She also looked out for colleagues and was well respected among them.  SSA Samuels-Benjamin is survived by her two sons, Irving and Ronnique, and her seven siblings.

The Police Memorial Wall is located in the lobby of One Police Plaza in Lower Manhattan. The Memorial Wall contains the names of nearly 600 Police Officers who have died in the line-of-duty serving the City.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser/Virginia Lam   (212) 788-2958

Paul Browne   (Police Department)
(646) 610-6700




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