Early life
Katrina met Alex Irvin at Rikers Island when she was 18. They began dating and had their first child together. Katrina believed he would find a way to help her. She claims that he began to abuse her physically almost immediately.
Katrina claims she called 911 numerous times, but to no avail. Katrina claims that police arrived to see Irvin’s badge but would not give her the assistance she needed.
1992: “A house full of horrors”
Katrina claims that Irvin abused her and moved Katrina with the girls to Medford, Long Island in 1992.
Katrina, after years of beatings by her husband, decided to leave Irvin. She took her children to a motel nearby.
January 9, 1993: Armed, dangerous
Katrina returned to the house on January 9th 1993 in order to retrieve clothes and other belongings. Irvin was waiting with his service revolver.
The attack
The shooting started shortly after Katrina entered.
Ten shots were fired
Police say that after shooting at Katrina five more times, Irvin used the speedloaders in the above photo to quickly reload his gun so he could continue shooting.
Katrina will survive
Katrina crawled in an attempt to escape her attacker. Katrina tried to hide behind a plant at one point.
Unlock the door
Unexpectedly, Irvin’s friend from high school made an unexpected visit during the attack. He found Katrina’s bloodied body on the floor of the bathroom upon entering.
Unexpected places can help you
Katrina was put in the back seat of the car by a friend. She drove her to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital on Long Island with Irvin’s assistance. The friend placed Katrina in a wheelchair outside the emergency room and then drove her home.
Emergency surgery
Katrina was immediately rushed to surgery. According to Keri Herzog, Assistant District Attorney, six bullets were found in Katrina’s body. Despite multiple operations, they could not be removed.
Strong advocate
ADA Keri Herzog arrived at the hospital to take Katrina’s dying declaration about what had happened and who was to blame. Herzog used Katrina’s words as well as all the evidence to build the strongest case against Irvin.
Katrina and her two daughters became homeless after Katrina lost her family. They sought shelter on the Lower East Side.
“Rats were everywhere, roaches everywhere… It was really, really terrible here.” Katrina said she would take her children to a nearby McDonald’s for a quick wash.
July 2001: A new route
Katrina never gave up, despite her circumstances. Katrina decided to pursue a career in an unlikely place: the New York City Police Department. Katrina joined Police Academy in July 2001. She channeled her energy as a police officer to help others receive the support they needed.
“Why would I not want to protect and serve?” Katrina says that just because I didn’t get it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t want to help other people.
Katrina resolved to not tell her fellow officers anything about her past.
Katrina was a variety of roles in the NYPD. She joined the narcotics team in December 2003 and began working undercover. To catch drug dealers in Brooklyn and Queens, she assumed the role of a drug addict who smoked cigars.
Katrina says, “Anything that required undercover, I did it.”
Katrina, reflecting on her life’s journey, says “48 Hours” that Katrina, 22 years old, was “lost, broken…forgotten…and now, I feel like a beautiful Black queen who fought the fight.”
