Career criminal arrested in slaying of NYC police officer

NEW YORK -- A career criminal accused of killing a police officer had been released from jail into a drug diversion program and was wanted in a shooting last month, said Police Commissioner William Bratton, noting the suspect had shown an increasing level of violence and shouldn't have been on the streets.

Tyrone Howard is expected to be charged with fatally shooting New York Police Department Officer Randolph Holder during a gunfight Tuesday night on a pedestrian bridge after stealing a bike.

He was arrested in October 2014 along with 18 other people and charged with selling crack cocaine at an East Harlem public housing complex.

But Bratton said Howard was released into a drug-diversion program, which is meant to keep drug offenders from overcrowding the city's jails.

"If ever there was a candidate not to be diverted, it would be this guy," Bratton said. "There are people in our society who are criminals, who are violent criminals ... who should be separated from the rest of society."

Tyrone Howard

But court officials said Howard qualified for the program because he was charged with selling and possessing drugs and was addicted.

"Actually, he's the perfect candidate in many ways," state court system spokesman David Bookstaver told The Associated Press.

Howard pleaded guilty to the drug charge this May and was ordered to attend monthly status meetings, but he stopped attending those Aug. 21. An arrest warrant was issued Sept. 17.

The 30-year-old had been arrested 28 times since he was 13 for offenses including drug possession and robbery, authorities said.

He's been sentenced to state prison twice since 2007 on drug possession and sale convictions, state records show.

Randolph Holder

Howard was arrested in connection with a June 2009 shooting that left an 11-year-old with a gunshot wound to the leg and a 78-year-old grazed by a bullet, according to police. The disposition of that case wasn't immediately clear.

Howard had also been wanted in connection with the Sept. 1 shooting of a gang member, said James O'Neill, the NYPD's chief of department.

He skipped court appearances and police couldn't track him down, O'Neill said.

Police said officers had attempted to locate Howard 10 times since the shooting.

Charges against Howard in Holder's shooting were pending. It was unclear whether he had a lawyer.

Holder was the second NYPD officer killed this year and the fourth slain in the past 11 months, Bratton said.