Did drug lord set up fatal cop confrontation?

By David Greene


A Bronx man was shot dead by police in a hail of gunfire as officer's executed a search warrant at the man's Hunts Point apartment.

Dozens of cops led by the Bronx Narcotics Task Force converged on the drug infested block and executed at least three search warrants looking for weapons, drugs and cash.

The heavily armed unit working with members of the Emergency Services Unit arrived on the 600 block of Faile Street, when an NYPD source verified at least three search warrants were executed at 811, 822 and 826 Faile Street, at 9:20 a.m., on Thursday, June 24.

The NYPD will only say that Marvin Fulford, who was either 47 or 48 years old, attempted to flee the apartment and fired on the officers who broke down his door. However friend's and neighbors painted another picture of Fulford, who was described by one friend as, "a family man," who worked as an X-ray technician at Mt. Sini Hospital in Manhattan.

According to the NYPD, Fulford was shot once in the abdomen and once in the left leg and expired a short time later at Lincoln Hospital.

Two days after the shooting, a long time friend of Fulford returned to the block after learning the news, still in disbelief, the friend blurted out, "The newspaper's had it all wrong that he was involved in drugs... I just know he was a working guy and a family man."

The friend, who declined to be identified, continued, "I just got a call that my friend passed away and that's why I'm here." The friend called Fulford, "a good Samaritan-type guy,' who claimed his friend was shot seven-times.

One source from the block claimed Fulford's unidentified cousin was dealing drugs on the block and had a dispute or fight with the block's top drug-lord. The source continued, "Two guys did something to his (front) door and the drug-lord sent the cops to his house and he was waiting for the drug dealer with his registered gun."

The source, who's account can not be corroborated at this time, claimed police were not in uniform when they arrived at Fulford's door. One published report stated at least two officers went into the building and one was in uniform and the second was wearing an NYPD wind-breaker.

The source added, "If they were in uniform, he would have known they were cops," and Fulford would not have fired his registered 9-mm handgun.

A second resident of the block, who knew Fulford confirmed a dispute in the building between an unidentified male and, "the drug kingpin of the block," a day earlier. That source, who lives next door to Fulford's apartment, claimed to have heard, "over 20 shots" in the exchange.

A source at Police Plaza was asked if the locations of the raid or the timing of it was produced by a tipster, the source replied, "They don't divulge how they do their job, because it would kind of defeat the purpose."

The department spokesperson was asked about the backgrounds of Fulford and his alleged cousin, the annoyed source fired back, "We're not in the habit of giving out details on people's lives... goodbye," before abruptly ending the interview.

Four days after the shooting, the NYPD could still not say how many shots were fired in the exchange. Three officer's were removed to Jacobi Hospital with minor injuries, unrelated to the actual shooting.

An e-mail request was sent to the NYPD regarding the 9-mm weapon and if it was indeed registered, but they have not replied back before the filing of this article.

Calls to the Office of the City's Medical Examiner were not being answered early Monday morning when this article was submitted.