Former Worker Charged In Fatal Shooting Of Area Funeral Home Director

A former worker has been charged in the fatal shooting of the director of a funeral home in the area.

A shooting at a Rockland County funeral home left the director dead.
Photo Credit: *Courtesy Mark Lieb/Rockland Video Productions*

02/08/2020 6:19 p.m.

In the incident in Rockland County, Noe Hamer, of New York City, the director of the T.J. McGowan Sons Funeral Home at 133 Broadway in Haverstraw, was killed around 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 6.

New City resident Gerard F. "Jerry" O’Sullivan was arraigned by Judge Larry Schwartz Saturday morning, Feb. 8 on charges stemming from the incident, the Rockland County District Attorney's Office said.

O'Sullivan was fired from the funeral home hours before the incident and the shooting is believed to be targeted, authorities said.

Rockland County Court Justice Schwartz arraigned O’Sullivan at his hospital room in Westchester Medical Center.

O’Sullivan was charged with:

second-degree murder,
second-degree criminal possession of a weapon,
menacing a police officer,
second-degree unlawful imprisonment
resisting arrest.

He was remanded without bail. His next court appearance will be on Wednesday, Feb.12 in Haverstraw Village Justice Court.

Officers responded to a report of shots fired in the vicinity of the funeral home and found O'Sullivan armed with a gun in the rear parking lot.

O'Sullivan ignored numerous police commands to drop the handgun, according to police. Officers deployed a taser and were able to take the O'Sullivan into custody, police said.

An investigation revealed O'Sullivan confronted Hammer in the rear parking lot and allegedly shot the popular director multiple times, killing him.

A civilian on the scene observed what had occurred and fired his handgun at the suspect, striking him once in the shoulder, police said.

“My office has been working with the Haverstraw Police Department since this tragic incident took place," Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh, II said. "Executive Assistant District Attorney Stephen Moore and Assistant District Attorney Peter Fernandez will be prosecuting this case.

"Our prayers go out to the family of the victim, Noe Hammer, who was gunned downed in this senseless act of violence.”

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