Statement from IATSE Local One President:
From President Claffey:
May 19, 2016
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I believe it's necessary to address the false news reports regarding yesterday's tragic shooting of our brother member Garry Conrad. While the union was in contact with the NYPD to provide next of kin information and confirmation of membership for Brother Conrad- the press never sought union confirmation of any additional information that was inaccurately reported on television and likely in today's newspapers. While the loss of life for this brother and his family is tragic in itself, nobody truly knows or condones all the facts of the troubles that our member was experiencing yesterday. It does need to be clarified however, that contrary to news reports, Brother Conrad was not employed yesterday at The Eugene O'Neill Theater and hasn't been employed there for many years. In turn, he was not advised to exit The O'Neill Theater yesterday for any reason, because again he was not employed there. It should be noted that a man offering much of this incorrect information to the press while "claiming to be a stagehand at The Gershwin Theater" is totally false. He is not a member of The Gershwin Crew, Local One or the IATSE, and is certainly not a reflection of our unions honor. The union does have information that he has only worked "a handful of calls" in our jurisdiction. I am frankly appalled as you likely are with the false information this man provided the press to achieve a few minutes of television air time while our brother member laid dead in the street. It is inexcusable. Be assured I have made every attempt to contact the press to correct the false information and the police department was notified as well.
Regardless of the circumstances, please join the union in extending our deepest sympathies to the family of our fallen brother Garry Conrad, while also offering our sincere respect to those police officers of the NYPD, who obviously had to make an extremely difficult decision in the performance of their duties to protect the public and themselves for their own families.
Respectfully,
James J. Claffey, Jr.
