My story today is about NYPD Detective Anthony J. Venditti and his encounter with the Genovese organized crime family.
On the fateful evening of January 21, 1986, Detective Venditti entered Castillo’s diner which was in Ridgewood, Queens, whilst on a mission to surveil members of the Genovese family.
Assigned to the case alongside his temporary partner, Detective Venditti, a seasoned 14-year veteran of the NYPD, trailed Federico “Fritzy” Giovanelli, a member of the Genovese crime family, as part of an ongoing illegal gambling investigation. The pursuit brought them to a location near Myrtle and St. Nicholas avenues in Ridgewood, Queens.
Upon entering the diner, Detective Venditti emerged moments later, only to be confronted by members of the Genovese organized crime family. The mobsters shoved him against a wall, prompting Detective Burke to intervene. Her warning, however, was met with gunfire as the suspects pulled out their weapons.
Detective Venditti, struck four times, twice in the head and twice in the back, succumbed to his injuries, while Burke, critically wounded, managed to recover. The tragedy marked the end of a remarkable career, earning Venditti posthumously the NYPD Medal of Honor, the highest tribute bestowed upon an officer.
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