Court Officer Albert Gelb

Albert Gelb

Court Officer Albert Gelb was assassinated on 109th Street, near his home in Queens, by members of the mob as retaliation for making an off-duty arrest for gun possession in a restaurant.

Officer Gelb had just gone off-duty and was driving home when a car pulled up next to him and the occupant opened fired, striking Officer Gelb once. The suspect then got out of his car and shot Officer Gelb three more times.

Members of the John Gotti Crime Family were arrested and charged in federal court but the prosecution was unable to produce enough evidence. In February 2008 a suspect was indited for five murders, including the murder of Officer Gelb. In September 2009, the suspect was found guilty of four other murders and sentenced to life in prison. Although he was not found guilty of Gelb's murder, that was taken into consideration at the time of sentence.

Court Officer Gelb was assigned to the Criminal Court in Brooklyn. He had served with the New York State Office of Court Administration for 3 years.