Jersey City Police Officer Michael Camacho stopped talking for a moment when he thought about his deceased colleague, Detective Mark DiNardo. On the verge of tears, Camacho took a deep breath, then composed himself.
“He was a tremendous man, I feel for his family, it is a tremendous loss for them and for the department,” Camacho said.
The 25-year-old policeman was one of four officers – including DiNardo, Officer Frank Molina, Jr. and Port Authority Officer Dennis Mitchell – wounded in a shootout with gunman Hassian Hosendove inside a Reed Street apartment building on July 16.
Camacho and others discussed the ordeal when they were honored during a National Night Out event on Aug. 4 in the courtyard of the Villa Borinquen housing complex in downtown Jersey City.
Detective Marc Lavelle suffered a wound to the leg when Hosendove fired a 12-gauge shotgun three times at Lavelle and his partner, Lt. Michael Kelly, outside the building. Kelly was not injured. Camacho was shot in the neck and was still sporting bandages when interviewed. DiNardo died from his wounds after being shot in the face.
Camacho, DiNardo, Molina and Lavelle were all honored for their service by the Jersey City organization PACO (Puertorriquenos Asociados for Community Organization) and the city.
All four received a green glass statue from Mayor Jerramiah Healy, with Jersey City Police Chief Thomas Comey, Hudson County Freeholder Eliu Rivera, and other officials and members of the public looking on.
“The awards they received were well deserved but not nearly enough for what they do.” – Marisa Santiago
________
“This is helpful, because I don’t want people to forget what my husband did as a police officer for the citizens of Jersey City,” DiNardo said.
The ceremony took place the same week that the department released video of the early stages of the shootout, showing Hosendove shooting in front of the apartment building, accompanied by his girlfriend, Amanda Anderson. Both Anderson and Hosendove died after exchanging gunfire with police inside the apartment they occupied.
National Night out front
Lavelle said he would rather have been dealing with the public on National Night Out – an annual event focusing police and community cooperation in fighting crime – rather than be the center of attention.
“It’s an awkward moment because as police officers, we just do our jobs and come and go,” Lavelle said. “The fact that Marc is not here with us, I feel we are being honored for something when I should be mourning instead of celebrating.”
Molina, the son of a Jersey City police officer, was glad to be out in public again, having secluded himself while recovering from being shot in the back. He was saved by a bulletproof vest.
“It’s good to see that people still believe in us,” Molina said. “However, it is bittersweet.”
There were also plenty of supporters of the police officers who were on hand to offer their best wishes.
Marisa Santiago was one of those supporters, sitting in a chair listening to a live band playing Spanish folk music.
“The awards they received were well deserved but not nearly enough for what they do,” Santiago said.
Sonia Araujo, assistant director of the Jersey City Free Public Library, helped organize the annual National Night Out event at Villa Borinquen. The honoring of the police officers took on an extra special meeting for her. She has known Camacho and Molina as well as their respective families for years.
“A lot of us felt a sense of appreciation for all their efforts and for putting their lives on the line every day,” Araujo said.
It is that appreciation that Camacho says helps him recover each and every day.
“This is overwhelming … but it is a good, positive experience.”
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.