Hero police officer given two awards

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Published: 5/27/2010 2:23 pm

Updated: 6/16/2010 11:56 pm

AT&T Store letter to gunman (204.3KB)

Rome (WSYR-TV) - The hero officer involved in a shooting inside an AT&T store in New York Mills was awarded the Medal of Valor in a ceremony at Rome City hall Wednesday morning. Officer Donald Moore also received the Outstanding Citizen Award from Whitestown.

Off-duty Officer Donald Moore, 25, was at the store with his girlfriend to buy a phone when Abraham Dickan opened fire. Moore then shot and killed Dickan with his personal weapon.

After receiving the Outstanding Citizen Award from Whitestown Officer Moore was modest and appreciative. "It's hard to explain. It's cool. I don't know how else to explain it. it's pretty amazing to know that you made a difference and that you can feel it and hold it and know it's real," said Officer Moore.

Moore is a 3-year veteran of the Rome Police Department, and this is not the first time he has been honored for heroism. Last May, he earned a letter of commendation for bravery after climbing out on a tree limb to rescue a child who had been swept into the Mohawk River.

"The joke is you're a cop 24/7 and it holds true I guess," said Officer Moore.

Michael Bieksza is one those who has a lot to thank Officer Moore for. Wednesday he made sure to let him know. "If he wasn't there I don't know think I would be standing. I think he [Dickan] would have succeeded killing everyone on his list and I would have just been in the way," he said.

"I don't know if Officer Moore realizes the overwhelming amount of possibilities that he stopped not only his life, his girlfriend's, the people in that store, but every officer that arrived would have had the opportunity to engage with the shooting suspect," said Chief Robert Swenszowski of the New York Mills Police Department.

Wednesday morning, Chief Kevin Beach presented Officer Moore with the Medal of Valor award which reads:

CITY OF ROME

POLICE DEPARTMENT

Awards

The Medal of Valor

Officer Donald Moore

Who, while acting in the line of duty as a police officer, distinguished himself by an act of courage involving the risk of imminent danger to his life, with knowledge of the risk, having acted above and beyond the call of duty.

On, May 27, 2010, while at the AT&T Store located on Commercial Drive, New York Mills, NY, off-duty Officer Donald Moore was waiting in line with several other customers. While in line, a disgruntled customer, armed with a .357 caliber handgun, shot an employee in the abdomen. Officer Moore drew his off-duty firearm and returned fire striking and killing the armed suspect. It was later learned that the disgruntled customer intended to kill at least six persons that day. The immediate and selfless actions of Officer Moore prevented several innocent lives from having been taken.

The actions of Officer Moore have brought great credit upon himself, the Rome Police Department, the City of Rome, and the Law Enforcement Profession.

AT&T store employee released from hospital, store won't reopen
June 4

New York Mills (WSYR-TV) - The AT&T store employee who was shot in the stomach by a gunman who allegedly had a list of employees he intended to kill, has been released from the hospital.

Seth Turk, 37, worked at the AT&T store on Commercial Drive in New York Mills. He was rushed to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Utica following the shooting which happened last Thursday.

The man who shot him, 79-year-old Abraham Dickan, had been banned from all AT&T stores after making racial slurs against two employees, displaying a gun and making threatening remarks.

When he entered the store and shot Turk, Dickan was carrying a letter of his own in his pocket. Police say that letter included threats to other employees.

Off-duty Rome police officer Donald Moore, 25, was a customer in the store at the time, and shot and killed Dickan with his personal gun.

The store at which the shooting took place will not reopen. A company spokesperson says the New York Mills location will remain closed and a new store will be opened in New Hartford. There were already plans in the works to re-locate, and shooting has accelerated that decision.

Hero cop back at work
June 2, 2010

Rome (WSYR-TV) - The Rome Police Officer who stopped a gunman who had planned to kill several AT&T store employees returned to duty on Wednesday.

Officer Donald Moore has been away from the force since the May 28 incident in which he shot Abraham Dickan.

Dickan entered the store in New York Mills with a list of employees he intended to shoot and managed to injure one employee. Officer Moore shot Dickan before the gunman could kill any employees.

Gunman had been banned from AT&T's stores
May 28

New York Mills (WSYR-TV) - An AT&T Store that was the site of a shooting incident in which a gunman entered with a list of employees he intended to kill was still closed Friday morning.

On Thursday, Abraham Dickan walked into the store on Commercial Drive just before 1 p.m. and shot store clerk Seth Turk, 37, in the stomach.

According to a letter from AT&T to Dickan, obtained by NewsChannel 9, Dickan had been banned from all AT&T stores after making racial slurs against two employees, displaying a gun and making threatening remarks. The letter says that if Dickan ever entered an AT&T store, it would be considered an act of trespass and the police would be called. The letter is dated March 31, 2010.

When he entered the store and shot Seth Turk, Dickan was carrying a letter of his own in his pocket. Police say that letter included threats to other employees.

Dickan never got the chance, however. Off-duty Rome police officer Donald Moore, 25, was a customer in the store at the time, and shot and killed Dickan with his personal gun.

As a result of his actions, Officer Moore is being hailed as a hero. "His actions are nothing short of heroic. His training and quick-thinking kicked in," said Rome Police Chief Kevin Beech.

In the Triangle Restaurant in downtown Utica, Moore's heroic actions were all patrons like Joanne Stone wanted to talk about. "They put their life on the line all the time, whether they're on duty or off," she said. "You just thank god that he was there."

"He'd be on my Christmas card list, you know. Those people ought to be real thankful. There's a lot of stuff going on with people nowadays. And this is one for the good guys," said area business owner John Dote.

Officer Moore has asked for a few days off from work, and has not made any public comment about his actions.

Police search gunman's home, victim still in critical condition
May 28

Off-duty Officer Donald Moore, 25, was at the store with his girlfriend to buy a phone when Abraham Dickan opened fire. (Rome Police Department)

Related Links

Rome PD's page about Officer Moore

Utica (WSYR-TV) - State Police searched the home of a man who shot an AT&T store employee Thursday afternoon in New York Mills. Meanwhile, the off-duty officer who killed the gunman is now home resting.

Rome Police Chief Kevin Beech says off-duty Officer Donald Moore, 25, was at the store with his girlfriend to buy a phone when Abraham Dickan opened fire. Moore then shot and killed Dickan with his personal weapon.

Moore is a 3-year veteran of the Rome Police Department, assigned to the patrol division and the bike patrol. Last May, Moore was honored with a letter of commendation for bravery after climbing out on a tree limb to rescue a child who had been swept into the Mohawk River. "Donald now has more experience than most people will ever have in just two years," said Chief Beech. "His actions are nothing short of heroic. His training and quick thinking kicked in."

Joanne George lives across the street from Moore, she says she's always felt safe being his neighbor. After Thursday's incident, she'll never question that. "He's awesome, he's an awesome guy and he's a great cop," she said.

Officer Moore is home now resting and Chief Beech says he will be given a few days off from work by his choice.

Seth Turk, the AT&T employee who was shot in the stomach by Dickan, is reportedly in critical condition at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Utica.

State Police are at the home of a man who shot an AT&T store employee Thursday afternoon in New York Mills. (WSYR-TV)

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State Police are at the home of a man who shot an AT&T store employee Thursday afternoon in New York Mills. (WSYR-TV)

Shortly after shots rang out inside the AT&T store, people ran next door to a Harley-Davidson dealership for cover. Steve Coupe manages at that Harley-Davidson dealership and says he quickly brought the AT&T employees and his own customers inside and locked the doors. "We weren't sure if he was gonna emerge from the building, we didn't know at that point," he said. "Immediately we wanted the safety of the people coming from the store. We didn't know if it was a personal grudge or what the nature of the shooter was."

Bill McGowen was one of the customers quickly pulled inside the dealership moments after the shots were fired. "I feel sorry for the girls who were there. They'll have to relive that every day they go to work," said McGowen.

McGowen praises the Harley-Davidson dealership employees for their quick action. "They were smart enough to pull us inside and lock the doors. I give them a lot of credit for doing what they had to do at the time."

In Utica, the State Police were busy searching of Dickan's home Thursday evening, trying to piece together what led up to the shooting.

Mark Piersma watched the search from his porch next door, as a dozen troopers circled his neighbor's home, peering into windows with flashlights and surveying the property. He described Dickan as an "eccentric" man who was very "old school." "He was nice, but once he got angry about something he was very passionate about it," said Piersma. "But for him to take it to the extreme that he did, that was the shocking part."

Police say AT&T store gunman had hit list of employees

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New York Mills, Oneida Co. (WSYR-TV/AP) - State Police say a 79-year-old man with a history of harassing store employees, walked into an AT&T store in Oneida County and shot an employee, before being shot and killed by an off-duty police officer.

Police say the gunman, identified as Abraham Dickan, walked into the store located on Commercial Drive in New York Mills just before 1pm Thursday Afternoon and shot store clerk Seth Turk, 37, in the stomach.

Off-duty Rome police officer Donald Moore, 25, was a customer in the store at the time, and shot Dickan with his personal gun.

Investigators say their preliminary investigation has revealed employees had prior problems with the gunman, who had expressed hostility toward them. A letter recovered from Dickan's pocket contained the names of six employees he allegedly intended to kill.

Turk was in surgery at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Utica as of Thursday afternoon. His condition was not immediately known.

Witnesses in the area say they ran over to the neighboring Harley-Davidson store when the first shots were fired, in order to hide from the gunman. They say there was fear the shooter may have been looking for some of the employees.

Investigators say the situation would have been much worse if Moore had not been inside the store at the time.

Dickan's body was lying in the center of the showroom when the first on-duty police officers arrived.

Dickan had been banned from the store about a month ago for being disruptive. Police say so far, the gunman appears to have no prior criminal history. His pistol permit had been revoked.

People say the scene following the shooting was "chaotic".

Stay with NewsChannel 9 and 9wsyr.com for updates.

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