A year after a Long Island police officer was shot in the line of duty, the 21-year-old gunman has formally confessed.
Janell Funderburke, of Coram, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and related charges in Suffolk County Court on Monday, June 3, stemming from the May 2023 shooting.
According to prosecutors, Suffolk County Police officers were surveilling Funderburke’s Coram home, located on Homestead Drive near Norfleet Lane, as part of an armed robbery investigation on May 11, 2023.
- Earlier Report: Accused Cop Shooter Charged With Attempted Murder For ‘Senseless’ Attack On Long Island Officer
Officer Michael Lafauci spotted him walking a short distance away from the home and pulled alongside him in his unmarked police vehicle. Funderburke then took off running as Lafauci chased after him on foot.
Lafauci repeatedly identified himself as a Suffolk County Police officer and ordered Funderburke to show his hands. Seconds later, Funderburke turned around and fired two shots toward Lafauci, hitting him in his upper right thigh.
Funderburke then continued running toward his home. He was arrested a short time later.
Lafauci, a six-year veteran of the department and father of an infant, later underwent emergency surgery at Stony Brook University Hospital. He was released one week after the shooting.
A search of Funderburke’s home later turned up the same loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine that was used in the shooting, along with fentanyl and the controlled substance carisoprodol, according to prosecutors.
Funderburke pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated murder and first-degree robbery, both felonies. He is expected to be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
In a statement, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said the shooting serves as a reminder of the critical role that law enforcement plays.
“This defendant’s heinous actions in shooting an officer, who had clearly identified himself, and then fleeing demonstrate a blatant and egregious disregard for the very fabric of our legal system,” Tierney said.
“Such acts of violence against those who protect our communities cannot be tolerated and will be met with the full force of justice. I want to thank the Suffolk County Police Department and especially Officer Lafauci for their exemplary work on this case.”
