patrolman stephen r. gilroy

emergency service unit

January 19, 1973

An icy winter snow flurried that Friday afternoon, in Brooklyn, on January 19, 1973,
when four men with guns entered John & Al’s sporting-goods store,
on Broadway, in the 9-0 Precinct, to commit armed robbery. 
With the robbers trapped inside, a gun battle erupted with responding patrol officers,
and a hostage situation developed.

     Emergency Service officers, equipped with tactical body armor and special weapons,
established a perimeter around the store. But soon more gunfire exploded
from inside and Patrolman Stephen R. Gilroy, ESS 8,
positioned behind a subway pillar across from the gun store, was shot. 
The officer was rescued from the line of fire by his ESU brothers
and transported to Kings County Hospital, but his wounds proved fatal.
On Sunday, forty-seven hours later, after 12 hostages staged a bold and daring escape
to the roof, the 4 gunmen meekly surrendered.

CLICK HERE to see pictures and videos of the memorial wreath laying at Stephen’s grave
on the 50th anniversary of his death, January 19, 2023.

CLICK HERE to read the more about the John and Al’s.

Reflections rom Frank Bolz:

For 2 and half months in 1972 I took part as the Detective Bureau Representative. in the daily presentations, coordinated by Captain Artie Freeman, ESU at Floyd Bennett Field. This was to deal with possibility of Hostage Takings.
During the roll playing each afternoon. ESU personnel would rotate the different Trucks.. I might have been fortunate enough to have worked with Steve during that two and a half months. Though I was never an E man, I recognize that the Hostage Negotiating Program might not have been successful had it not been for the support of the ESU. people. Danny St John, Frank Gallagher, Jack Casey, Al Baker, Kevin Barry and a bunch of guys that used to tease the heck out of me. But they were always there to protect and support the HNT.

These ESU guys were at the John and Al’s robbery where Steve lost his life.Frank Gallagher, who recovered Steve’s hat the next day, at the scene, Jack Casey, who with Gallagher rescued Hostages from gun shop roof. Al Baker with heavy body armor
Others present Dr. Harvey Schlossberg at command post and me Det. lieutenant Frank Bolz working coordinator Detectives at the scene
No doubt there were many , many more