He’s Detective Hero now.
Ivan Marcano, the 27-year-old off-duty cop who was shot in the chest trying to stop a robbery in The Bronx, was promoted yesterday in an impromptu bedside ceremony conducted by Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.
“He just did a remarkable job, and [there was] a promotion ceremony today, so we thought it would be appropriate to do it. Obviously, he couldn’t attend, so that’s why we did it,” Kelly said after returning from Bronx-Lebanon Hospital to City Hall with the mayor. “He was surprised. He was a little sedated, certainly very happy.”
Video released Thursday shows Marcano pressing one hand over a bullet wound in his chest — while using the other to fire 10 shots at three gang members in Morris Heights. Shooting with his right hand, the left-handed Marcano hit and killed the punk who shot him.
In the hospital, Marcano simply thanked the men for the promotion, Kelly said. Marcano’s girlfriend was also there.
Bloomberg canceled his WOR radio show so he could attend.
Marcano left the hospital a few hours later as doctors and more than 50 fellow officers cheered.
And there was more good news yesterday. The last of the three robbery suspects, Rodain Ortega, 17, turned himself in to police. Jason Levia, 20, believed to be the getaway driver, turned himself in Thursday. Both thugs were slapped with charges that included attempted murder and robbery.
The gunman who was killed was identified as Prince James.
They are suspected members of the Jackson Avenue Gunners gang.
Marcano had been sitting in a car with girlfriend Hilda Miolan Forteza Wednesday when she saw the holdup. As Marcano got out of his car, James fired at him.
Marcano “did everything you could ask for and more,” Kelly said. “It was an outstanding act on the officer’s part.”
The bullet grazed Marcano’s left arm and entered his chest, just missing his heart. Luckily, an ambulance was parked nearby and rushed Marcano to the hospital. “He was already stabilized when he arrived to the hospital,” said one of his nurses at Bronx Lebanon Hospital.
Additional reporting by Matt McNulty and Natasha Velez