Perp Shoots Cop During Murder/Suicide

"POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — Police in Poughkeepsie held a news conference Saturday in the aftermath of an apparent murder-suicide and a fatal shooting that left an 18-year veteran of the force dead.

"The chaotic events, in which Officer John Falcone, 44, was shot in the head, unfolded at the Metro-North train station in Poughkeepsie Friday afternoon.

"Around 1 p.m., police responded to a report of a woman shot on Main Street in Poughkeepsie. Police Chief Ron Knapp said Falcone saw suspect Lee Welch leaving the scene with a child in his arms.

"Police said the 27-year-old Welch shot his wife, Jessica Welch, who died at the hospital. She had arranged to meet her estranged husband at the train station to pick up her car.

"During the struggle with police, Welsh was holding his three-year-old child. The child, however, was not injured.

"Witnesses [said] that the officer was able to get the child away from Welch and into the arms of a civilian. The details of how that occurred are unclear.

"After the child was taken to safety, a struggle ensued between Welch, Falcone and other officers who arrived as backup.

"`It is our belief that the suspect killed himself after firing at least two shots at the officers, one of them hitting Officer Falcone,` Knapp said at Saturday’s news conference.

"Falcone died at the hospital Friday night."

From CBS New York...