Remembering an Oneonta, New York Hero Thirty Years On

On Friday, May 20, 1994, Investigator Ricky J. "Pit" Parisian, 34, a member of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), was shot and killed while attempting to stop an armed robbery at a supermarket in the City of Oneonta.

Parisian was off-duty and shopping with his wife when he noticed the robbery in progress. With his wife's assistance, he first directed store customers to a safe area. Parisian then ran to the front of the store and tackled the robber, causing both men to crash through a plate glass window. The robber, armed with a sawed-off shotgun, got up and fired a shot at Parisian.

Despite being mortally wounded, Parisian continued to struggle with the suspect, managing to tear off the robber's ski mask and disarm him before collapsing. The attacker fled, but the mask and shotgun were secured as evidence and played a crucial role in the robber's apprehension.

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At the time of his death, Investigator Parisian was an eight-year veteran of the Division. He was survived by his wife.

An event named in his honor, the Pit Run was put together shortly after his passing, and ran for 28 years and served as a celebration of Parisian and his life. The Pit Run was a fundraiser for the Parisian Foundation which provided higher education scholarships for Oneonta High School graduates.

The Pit Run was retired in 2022, with the organization citing difficulty in finding volunteers, the age of organizers, and issues encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pit Run's 20th anniversary race in 2014 saw 1,800 participants join in.