Deputy Tarsia Remembered 16 Years After His Murder

Area law enforcement officers, family and members of the community are remembering the death of a Broome County Sheriff’s Deputy 16 years ago, who was killed in the line of duty.

Kevin Tarsia was gunned down July 4, 2002 in Kirkwood by two men at Grange Hall Park as he investigated suspicious activity in the parking lot. The Deputy saw two men, one of them notorious killer David Sweat, transferring guns just stolen from a business in Pennsylvania, from one vehicle to another.  Tarsia was shot over a dozen times.

Sweat was convicted of murdering the Deputy and sent to Danamora Prison.  He and another prisoner escaped in the summer of 2015, leading authorities on a lengthy manhunt until the two inmates split up.  Sweat was wounded and recaptured after Police shot and killed the other inmate near the Canadian border.