Suffolk’s high cop joined greater than 200 mourners at a packed vigil Monday evening, the place he brushed again tears and issued a heartfelt apology for failing to cease the Christmas slaying of beloved Lengthy Island CVS employee Edeedson Cine.
Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina stood in entrance of the huge crowd gathered for Cine’s emotional candlelight vigil at Lindenhurst Village Sq. on Monday evening and tearfully informed the 23-year-old’s household he was sorry.
“It’s my job to be sure that issues like this don’t occur,” Catalina mentioned, his voice dripping with emotion.
“I need to supply my apologies to the household,” he added earlier than giving an extended hug to Cine’s father.
Catalina vowed to work alongside Suffolk DA Ray Tierney to make sure John Pilaccio — the 43-year-old “monster” accused within the horrific stabbing Cine — will “spend the remainder of his life in jail.”
Pilaccio allegedly entered the CVS simply earlier than 7 p.m. and demanded cash from Cine, who refused earlier than he was knifed within the chest, prosecutors mentioned in courtroom. Cine labored the vacation shift so a coworker may spend the time with their household, workers on the retailer informed The Put up.
His dad, who credited his robust religion in God for having the ability to persevere by way of the tragedy, mentioned he harbors no hate towards Pilaccio — and forgives him.
“Love conquers all,” Cine Sr. mentioned, including that he’s so happy with the person his son was and isn’t solely grieving him as an individual, however what he had but to change into.
Family members, associates and even those that solely knew Cine in passing all attested to the selfless particular person he was.
“He didn’t deserve not one little bit of this,” an emotional lady who solely recognized herself because the sufferer’s “greatest good friend” informed the gang, holding a body plastered with images of the pair collectively.
Daniel, 12, recalled heading into the CVS on a sizzling day over the summer season to get a Gatorade — solely to appreciate on the counter that he didn’t find the money for.
Fortunately for him, Cine — often known as Eddy — was on the counter and informed the center schooler he would hook it up, and paid the distinction out of his personal pocket for the boy, Daniel mentioned.
“I at all times remembered him due to that,” he added.
“Eddy was a very good man, I want there have been extra folks like him on the earth.”
