Candlelight Vigil Honors Slain Officer

Early Thursday morning, July 8^th, 2007 at 2:30am, Officers Herman Yan and Russel Timoshenko came under a hail of gunfire as the two stopped a stolen SUV on the streets of Crown Heights. Both officers where hit and injured, one of them gravely. Two days later, Officer Russel Timoshenko succumbed to his wounds.

Last night, Tuesday, July 8^th, 2014, Russel’s parents, relatives, friends and fellow officers, along with several members of the Crown Heights community, participated in a candlelight vigil on Lefferts Avenue and Rogers Avenue, where the incident occurred, marking the seventh anniversary of his shooting death.

Three men accused of being involved in the shooting stood trial and were all found guilty for their involvement; they all received extended jail sentences.

Dexter Bostic was convicted of aggravated murder as the shooter and received life in prison without the possibility of parole. Robert Ellis, who police accused of being the second triggerman, was acquitted of aggravated murder by a jury, but was convicted of weapons possession. Lee Woods was charged with aggravated assault of a police officer and weapons possession.

Officers stood alongside Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains, Inspectors and Chiefs at the memorial, most of whom had served alongside Russel in the 71^st Precinct.

Several Shomrim volunteers participated in the memorial as well, paying respects to the slain officer on behalf of the Jewish community of Crown Heights.