Cortlandt Manor resident and NYPD Officer Alan Schaberger never sought attention or recognition for his hard work, neighbors say, but following his tragic death, the community remembers him as a hero. 

“Here is he trying to help someone out, a true public servant, a hero, and he lost his life,” Town of Cortlandt Supervisor Linda Puglisi said. “It is a tragedy.”

Schaberger died early Sunday morning in Brooklyn after he was shoved over a railing by a violent suspect in a domestic dispute, police said. The officer fell nine feet down a cement stairwell after responding to a 911 call from a woman who had an order of protection against 42-year-old George Villanueva.

The fall broke Schaberger’s neck, and he had a large gash on the left side of his head, New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. Emergency medical services transported him to Lutheran Hospital, where he was announced dead on arrival, Kelly said.

"This morning’s tragic events show how quickly an altercation can turn deadly, for
both the victims of domestic violence and the officers responding to these calls," Kelly said.

“It was scary because we saw all these state troopers show up at (Schaberger’s) house yesterday,” said neighbor Donna Dale, who lives across the street from Schaberger and his fiancé Shoshone Peguese, who moved into the quiet Cortlandt Manor neighborhood two years ago.

Dale said that she and her husband found out later in the day that he had died and could not believe the news.

"He obvsiouy worked hard and it is a shame," Dale said. "He was quite, kept to helself, did a good job and now died in a tragedy."

Schaberger and Peguese were private people, but were always friendly, offering warm smiles and waves hello when they saw their neighbors, Dale said. The two planned to marry and he wanted to help her raise her two children, Peguese told the New York Daily News. Dale often saw Schaberger picking Peguese's 9-year-old son off of the bus and taking care of the family.

“They were a very nice couple,” Dale said. “I saw them on their porch, they would talk and laugh. Every once in a while I would see her dressed up out on her porch in these magnificent (ethnic) outfits and he would take pictures.”

“It is so unreal,” she said of his death.

Neighbor Charlie Messina, 55, said that Schaberger was a very private man, but was always friendly and welcoming. Messina said that the two of them were shoveling snow on their street together a few weeks ago when Schaberger revealed that he was a New York City Police officer. “He said he does not often tell people that,” Messina said.

Schaberger enjoyed barbequing and often sat outside on his porch, even in the winter, enjoying the peace and quiet around him, Messina said. The officer often played outside with Peguese’s son, Messina added.

Peguese was too distressed to comment earlier today, but Messina said that he spoke with her this morning and that she was distraught, but “holding it together”. She told Messina that funeral services will be held in Schaberger’s hometown, East Islip, Long Island.

Schaberger served 10 years on the NYPD and is also a Navy veteran.

“He was a man who devoted his whole life to helping others and he lost life helping someone as well,” Supervisor Puglisi said.

“We are proud he resided in town of Cortlandt and my heart goes out to his friends, family, fiancé, and colleagues on the New York City police force, for the loss of a true hero.”

Supervisor Puglisi said she will be lowering the flags in the Town of Cortlandt on the day of his funeral.