Pharmacy Owner in NYPD Steroid Case Found Dead

[HARDCORE]

Pharmacy Owner in NYPD Steroid Case Found Dead
 
A co-owner of a Bay Ridge pharmacy who was caught in a steroid scandal last year that touched the New York City Police Department was found dead Monday from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound on the floor above the drugstore, police said.

The body of John Rossi, 56, co-owner of Lowen's Pharmacy, 6902 Third Ave., Brooklyn, was discovered about 7 p.m. by a store employee, police said; he was last seen alive at 4 p.m.Rossi was dead from a single gunshot wound to the head, and a .380 caliber handgun was found near his body, police sources said. A source said there was a second gunshot wound to the chest but authorities maintain it was a suicide.

A suicide note was found at the scene addressed to his wife that was apologetic in nature, the source said. The note also mentioned the ongoing steroid investigation, the source said.

Police were investigating who his customers were and his level of involvement in dispensing steroids. The Brooklyn district attorney's office was close to bringing the case to a grand jury, the source said.

The pharmacy was raided by the state Bureau of Economic Enforcement in May 2007, and records and nearly $200,000 worth of steroids and human growth hormone were seized.

The records revealed a list of about two dozen police officers and civilian police department employees who got their medication there, and from that list, city police Internal Affairs investigators whittled to six the number of officers suspected of buying steroids.

Deputy Police Commissioner Paul J. Browne said in October that there was no indication that the six officers under investigation were involved in selling the steroid drugs.

"We're looking at this as a possible case in which steroids were taken for personal use," Browne said at that time. "These officers will be subject to disciplinary action, not arrest." Since then five of the officers failed drug tests and were subject to disciplinary action, police said today.

Outside the pharmacy, stunned neighbors remembered Rossi as a longtime fixture in the area."

The whole thing with him being involved with the steroid case was shocking to my whole family," said John Gidicsin, 40, who lives in the area.

Gidicsin said Rossi gave him his first job as a delivery boy when he was a teenager.

Recently, Rossi had been talking of selling his business and moving to Florida.

[p.s.]

Hmmm....The first real steroid casualty from this insipid witch hunt, and a hard working tax paying citizen who from what I can tell was law abiding (if everyone he sold AAS to had a 'script then he broke no laws). Law enforcement should be proud!!

[Bad Bob]

"Police were investigating who his customers were and his level of involvement in dispensing steroids. The Brooklyn district attorney's office was close to bringing the case to a grand jury, the source said.

The pharmacy was raided by the state Bureau of Economic Enforcement in May 2007, and records and nearly $200,000 worth of steroids and human growth hormone were seized.

The records revealed a list of about TWO DOZEN POLICE OFFICERS and civilian POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES who got their medication there, and from that list, city police Internal Affairs investigators whittled to six the number of OFFICERS SUSPECTED OF BUYING STEROIDS."


Found dead..... Huh... go figure.