Woman Dead In Rockland Shooting; Suspect Committed Suicide In Stamford

HILLCREST, NY — A 56-year-old woman was shot and killed in Hillcrest Wednesday morning, and Ramapo police said in an update at 8:25 p.m. Wednesday that a suspect they were searching for killed himself in Connecticut.

The shooting was reported at 8:56 a.m. Wednesday at Inwood Drive in the Hillcrest section of town.

At 8:56am, the Ramapo Police Department responded to Inwood Drive in the Hillcrest, where they found a woman lying on the ground, unresponsive, with multiple gunshot wounds.

The 56-year-old was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital by Spring Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps, where she was pronounced deceased, police said.

Investigators identified a suspect, Lawrence Byrd, 53, and learned that he might have fled to Connecticut.

Stamford police officials said they learned from Ramapo at 1:45 p.m. that a suspect in a homicide investigation was possibly in Stamford.

Patrol officers and investigators from various units checked multiple locations and later focused surveillance efforts around 300 Tresser Blvd., Stamford police said.

At 3:55 p.m. a man fitting Byrd’s description was observed walking from there. Officers followed and approached him on Canal Street at South State Street underneath the MTA train overpass, Stamford police said.

As a patrol officer got out of his vehicle, the man produced a firearm and put it to his head. Within seconds, he fired one shot and collapsed, police said.

Stamford officers immediately rendered emergency care and CPR, then Byrd was taken by EMS to Stamford Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4:15 p.m.

His death is being investigated by the Stamford Police Major Crimes Unit in conjunction with the Stamford State’s Attorney’s Office.

Ramapo police said Wednesday evening their investigation is continuing and no further information will be released at this time, but assured the public it was an isolated incident and there is no general threat.

The Ramapo Police Department was assisted by the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, New York State Police, Norwalk Police Department, Stamford Police Department, and the Rockland County Intel Center.

Witnesses and anyone with information regarding the shooting are asked to call Ramapo PD at 845-357-2400.