Vigil held for woman killed by cop car
Family starts GoFundMe page to help pay for the cost of her funeral
BY JASON COHEN
Members of the Bronx community
held a vigil last week
for the woman who was tragically
struck and killed by a
cop car earlier this month.
On Oct. 5, 20-year-old Sofi a
Gomez was hit by an NYPD
vehicle near Wallace Avenue
and Pelham Parkway. According
to the NYPD, the police
were en route to help fellow
offi cers on another call at the
Throggs Neck Bridge when
the incident took place. Three
days later, she succumbed to
her injuries and died.
The mood was somber
as her cousin Roberto Perez
spoke about Gomez. The
young woman, who had only
lived in the neighborhood for
a few months, was on her way
home from work when her
death occurred.
“We still cannot believe
this happened,” Perez said.
The family has created a
GoFundMe page to help pay
for the costs of the funeral
and transporting her body
back her native Guatemala.
So far, it has raised more
Roberto Perez speaks about his cousin Sofi a Gomez who was killed by a cop car. Photos by Jason Cohen
than $3,000.
“Like all of us, she came
to America for a better life,
to help her family and realize
her dreams,” the GoFundMe
said. “We ask for your help in
raising donations for the family
to help with the expenses
of laying her to rest.”
Ralph Vasquez was sitting
outside not too far from the
collision when it took place.
He was facing the other direction
when the car hit her,
but stood up to stretch his
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BRONX TIMES REPORTER,8 OCT. 30-NOV. 5, 2020 BTR
legs and heard the screech
of the tires.
As a retired paralegal who
dealt with personal injury,
he was surprised the that the
drivers who witnessed it were
not stopped for statements.
Vasquez also did not recall
hearing police sirens at the
time of the crash.
“Don’t you think if she
heard a siren from that end
she wouldn’t have kept going?”
he asked. “She would
have stopped.”
The family hired lawyer
John Giacobbe to investigate
the incident and seek punitive
damages against the NYPD.
Giacobbe told the Bronx
Times his offi ce is awaiting
discovery and it will be a
lengthy process.
“Today’s a day for the family
to get some sort of closure,”
he said. “They have to walk
across the street their sister
just died on. The video once
you see it, it stays with you. I
have nightmares about it.”
The death is also being investigated
by New York Attorney
General Letitia James.
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