The Plumb Beach Belt Parkway Rest Stop is no longer being locked on a regular 7 day a week basis. More often than not the Plumb Beach Rest Stop isn’t locked up at closing allowing it to be populated at the early morning hours.
It only took 2 and a half years for the police to start forgetting why they need to lock up the Plumb Beach rest stop.
The rest stop is infamous for the October 2006, Michael J. Sandy hate crime death. Where local teens Anthony Fortunato, 20, John Fox, 19, Ilya Shurov, 20, and Gary Timmons, 17, robbed and then caused Sandy’s death when he was struck by a car. They were all charged with Manslaughter, Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree, and Attempted Robbery in the First Degree, all counts were hate crimes. Three of the four were sentenced Anthony Fortunato (21), 7 to 21 years, John Fox (20), 13 to 21 years, Ilya Shurov (21), 17 1/2 years
The 61st precinct had assumed responsibility for the nightly lockup since that crime. Technically, they didn’t have to since the rest stop is the Parks Department responsibility. Parks either due to lack of man power or stupidity never locks up this rest stop.
Now, the 61st is no longer guaranteeing a constant nightly lockup.
Amazing.
The Background:
After exchanging emails about having sex, Fortunato arranged to meet Sandy at Plumb Beach, a rest stop and popular cruising location on Belt Parkway in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.
Shortly after Sandy arrived, witnesses saw two young white men approaching his car. At that time, Sandy was confronted by two of the young men, who began looking through his vehicle. Shurov pulled Sandy from the car and began punching him.
Attempting to escape, Sandy ran toward the highway. He appeared to be calling for help on his cell phone Two of his attackers caught up with him in the right lane of the highway. Shurov pursued Sandy across the guard rail, caught up with him in the right lane, and punched him. Sandy backpedaled into the middle lane, and was struck. One of the attackers dragged Sandy back to the side of the road. Shurov was seen rifling through Sandy’s pockets after he was struck.
This is totally unacceptable. Given the recent history of the area, it boggles the mind how Parks can allow that lot to remain open overnight. It’s inviting another tragedy.
I sincerely hope that the 61st Precinct, the Parks Dept. and the officials at Gateway put their collective heads together and come up with a regular plan to shut this lot at dusk.
Thanks for bringing this up – I’m going to inquire further.
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I’m gonna move back to (brooklyn) and try to get a job with the parks dept, amazing, it seems they do nothing!!, I hope someone in power reads the article and makes some changes, they are long overdue!!!
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this area is of no use to anyone can not swim their because their is no life guard why not ripe it down and close it off forever no more meeting place for gays and other unnatural people
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[...] summer, just two years later, GerritsenBeach.net reported that the 61st Precinct has moved on, and the lot remains open 24 [...]
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