SHARE

Retired Nypd Officer Shoots Garfield Tobacco Store Robber

GARFIELD, N.J. (UPDATE) -- A masked gunman who was shot in the groin by a retired NYPD detective working at a Garfield tobacco store Thursday night was identified Friday as a registered sex offender from Hasbrouck Heights.

Louis Pizzi

Louis Pizzi

Photo Credit: MUGSHOT: Courtesy BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR
Tobacco Road is across the street from the Monroe Street Bridge into Passaic.

Tobacco Road is across the street from the Monroe Street Bridge into Passaic.

Photo Credit: GoogleMaps

Louis Pizzi, 27, remained at Hackensack University Medical Center under guard by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office pending a Monday Superior Court appearance in Hackensack.

His bail is $500,000.

(Daily Voice broke the story last night. SEE BELOW.)

Pizzi entered Tobacco Road on River Drive across from the Monroe Street bridge to Passaic just after 7 p.m. wearing a mask and a hooded sweatshirt and carrying what sources told Daily Voice turned out to be a BB gun, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal said.

“This is a robbery!” he announced, pointing the gun at the store owner and his wife, Grewal said.

The retired detective was knocked down during a struggle with the robber but pulled a handgun and fired a shot, hitting Pizzi, the prosecutor said.

The retiree called police, then chased the 6-foot tall, multi-tattooed Pizzi.

Garfield police grabbed Pizzi on Pierre Avenue, next to the train tracks, Grewal said.

They also found the gun and “several items of clothing believed to have been discarded by Pizzi” along the way, he said.

Pizzi, who was reported in stable condition at HUMC, was charged with armed robbery and various weapons possession counts – including being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Records show Pizzi was 14 when he was convicted in February 2003 of sexually assaulting two underage girls he was babysitting.

A series of adult arrests began in 2009, records show.

In one instance, in 2010, police said Pizzi stabbed three men during a fight over a woman. His mother later claimed during an exclusive interview that he didn't do it.

He's also been arrested the past several years for assault, theft, forgery, disorderly conduct and weapons offenses, records show.

*****

ORIGINAL STORY:

GARFIELD, N.J. -- A retired New York City police officer shot a mask-wearing Garfield tobacco store robber in the groin Thursday night, then chased him down the street into the arms of city police, responders told Daily Voice.

The robber entered Tobacco Road on Monroe Street -- across from the bridge into Passaic -- wearing a mask and carrying a black BB gun and announced a robbery, authorities said.

The NYPD veteran fired a shot, hitting the robber, who ran off, they said. He tossed the mask along the way, with the retired officer trailing him.

Garfield police arrested the robber on Pierre Avenue, they said.Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal was expected to release more details Friday.

to follow Daily Voice Fair Lawn-Glen Rock and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE