Former NFL running back, Ryan Grant paid $ 500000 to bail for Nelson Pizzaro, the man accused of attempting murder of a New York Police Department detective during a Staten Island drug bust. The president of the Detectives Endowment Association, Paul DiGiacomo said-
“The fact that an individual who shot an NYPD detective is walking the streets of our city is a slap in the face to every dedicated member of law enforcement,”. He expresses his regret for the bail and further adds-“What’s more disgraceful is that former NFL player Ryan Grant funded the bail of an attempted cop-killer, a drug dealer who pushes his deadly poison in our communities.”
DiGiacomo pointing towards the former player further added- “It begs the question, would Mr Grant spring this criminal if his family member was the victim or just when it’s a hero detective protecting the public?”
Who is Nelson Pizzaro, the Convicted Criminal? What is his Relation with the Ex-NFL player Ryan Grant?
The 40-year-old convicted criminal Nelson Pizzaro was a drug dealer who had an extensive criminal history and was prior arrested seven times in New York regarding drug dealings. In January he was charged with willfully shooting a police officer, Dominick Libretti in the leg during a drug bust at his New Springville residence. According to NYPD Supervising Chief Surgeon, Eli Kleinman the officer was bleeding badly with a serious leg wound which may possibly end his career.
However, Pizzaro was not the target of the raid but he allegedly started shooting at officers with a 9mm Beretta handgun. Despite his serious leg injury, the officer held a ballistic shield in front of his team to protect them from gunfire.
In a morning press conference Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell addresses the cop as a hero and said-“Even with a serious leg wound, bleeding badly enough that fellow officers had to apply immediate pressure to slow the blood loss, he held a ballistic shield in front of his team to protect them from gunfire,”
Pizzaro was then charged with several things including an attempt to murder and was sent to jail initially without bail by judge Lisa Grey. Later his attorney Lance Lazzaro, filed an appeal and bail was imposed by the Appellate Division at $ 2.5 million in cash and $ 5 million in bond. Nelson was recently restricted to travel and was placed under house arrest.
Although it is not clear how Nelson and Pizzaro are connected or what is the relationship between the two. But the Former NFL player for sure enraged the Police and community as well for giving a bailout to a convicted criminal.