Memorial Erected for MTA Officer Killed on Duty

A granite pillar honoring the memory of Officer Edward E. Reed Jr., the only Metropolitan Transit Police officer killed in the line of duty, was unveiled Wednesday at a memorial service at MTA headquarters downtown.

The three-foot by two-foot pillar bearing a black granite plaque honoring Reed was displayed for the first time before a crowd that included the officer’s parents.

Reed, 29, was killed Feb. 21, 1993, when his vehicle was struck near 42nd Street and Central Avenue by a drunk driver, police said. Alfredo Martinez, 21, was convicted of gross vehicular manslaughter and sentenced to seven years in prison.

“Ed Reed was a fun-loving guy who loved his job,” said Senior Transit Police Officer Mark Warner. “He was one of the best guys I’ve ever meet in my life.”