Gerard Senatore, 66, of Ridge, shoots woman, kills himself, police say

A former Suffolk County sheriff’s officer took his own life Saturday afternoon after shooting a woman and barricading himself inside his home in Ridge for more than four hours, authorities and witnesses said.

Suffolk police responded to a 911 call to Woodbrook Drive just before 1 p.m. and found the unidentified 68-year-old woman with serious injuries. She was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital for treatment, police said.

Gerard Senatore, 66, who owns the home, according to property records, remained armed inside the house and refused to come out, according to police.

A heavy state and county police presence quickly descended on the residential neighborhood blocking off the street for four hours, forcing neighbors to stay inside as police officers attempted to communicate with the man inside.

“[Jerry,] this is the Suffolk County Police Department. We need to speak with you. Please come outside,” a negotiator could be heard repeating over sirens for more than an hour with several officers crouched behind vehicles. Around 3:30 p.m., an armored police vehicle broke through the front door of the two-story home.

After officers breached the home, they found Senatore dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Several neighbors attempting to return home said they were shocked to see yellow crime scene tape blocking access to their street.

“It’s just sad all around,” said one neighbor, who was returning home from work who did not want to be identified. She described the residents as “quiet, kind people” who had lived in the area for three decades.

Another neighbor, Emily Commins, said the block is typically quiet, though she is used to hearing faint gunshot noises from a nearby shooting range. “It’s a good neighborhood,” she said in an interview.

Commins said they were “quiet and friendly” neighbors who kept a neat property.

“We’d wave to each other,” she said. “He’s been really quiet … Usually he comes out, shovels his driveway and prunes his plants. Nothing was out of place.”

Senatore's LinkedIn profile says he worked as a correction officer at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. State payroll records show he was last on the county payroll in 2014.