Investigator Joseph Aversa, NY State Police, 3/5/1990

On Monday, March 5, 1990, undercover Investigator Joseph Aversa, a 31-year old member of New York State Police Troop F, was involved in buy-bust operations in NYPD's 9th Precinct. Investigator Aversa and two NYPD Detectives were arranging to buy two kilos of cocaine, with $42,000 they had pre-recorded.  Upon entering the Jacob Riis Housing Project a shootout erupted, during which Investigator Aversa was shot in the left eye and died of his wounds.  Two other NYPD Detectives and David Hernandez, one of the suspects, were also wounded in the shootout.

Investigator Aversa, the son of a retired NYPD Mounted Officer, was a six year veteran of the New York State Police.  He left behind his parents and his wife, Eileen, who is now a member of the New York State Police