A respected NYPD lieutenant committed suicide in his Brooklyn home — and police say it's not clear why he did it.
Lt. John Walton, 44, was found in the bathroom of his Bay Ridge apartment Easter night by his father, who lives in another apartment in the same home, police said.
The 23-year veteran shot himself in the mouth, sources said. The gun was found in the sink.
On a table in the kitchen, sources said, Walton left another gun, plus his shield and NYPD ID card. No note was found.
Walton worked at the 69th Precinct, where one month ago he moved from patrol to his new role as the administrative lieutenant, working closely with the precinct's commanding officer, overseeing clerical staff and preparing reports.
A recent anonymous tip sparked an investigation at the precinct by the NYPD’s Quality Assurance Division, sources said. QUAD, as it is known, investigates how police take and classify crime reports.
Sources said Walton was not the subject of the investigation, nor had he been interviewed. And an NYPD spokeswoman said the probe found no wrongdoing.
"This is a tragedy and these allegations have no validity,” said the spokeswoman, Inspector Kim Royster.
Walton spoke to another union official two weeks ago about the QUAD probe, but did not seem concerned, said Lou Turco, the head of the Lieutenants Benevolent Association.
"I'm sure (the suicide) had nothing to do with the investigation," Turco said. "He was a professional lieutenant. I don't understand what caused this. There was no sign of this, no sign leading up to this.
By Rocco Parascandola / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
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