Two New York police officers were killed less than 12 hours apart over the weekend, one after being pushed over a railing and the other after he was shot by another officer following a confrontation with a knife-wielding man, who was also killed.

A New York City officer responding to a domestic violence call was preparing to take a suspect into custody when the man shoved him over a railing, sending him falling 9 feet down a cement stairwell to his death.

Officer Alain Schaberger, 42, landed on his head and broke his neck shortly before 5 a.m. yesterday in Brooklyn. The suspect, identified as George Villanueva of Brooklyn, 42, was arrested on charges of murder, assault, and criminal contempt of court.

Hours earlier, a Nassau County police officer was killed in Massapequa Park, a suburb 40 miles east of Manhattan.

Police responded to a 911 call at around 8:20 p.m. Saturday in Massapequa Park, nearly 40 miles east of Manhattan. Theresa Kelly, 71, told Newsday she was backing out of her driveway when a man wearing dark clothing and a hockey mask jumped on the hood of her car.

She called 911, and when officers arrived, they found 21-year-old Anthony Digeronimo with knives strapped to his body and in his hands, said Detective Lieutenant Kevin Smith of the Nassau County police.

The officers pursued Digeronimo into the house nearby where he lived with his parents. Inside, he charged the officers with a knife, Smith said. The officers drew their weapons and shot and killed him, he said.

Additional officers arrived, including Metropolitan Transportation Authority police from the Long Island Rail Road. For reasons that are unclear, an MTA officer fired a shot at officer Geoffrey Breitkopf, killing him.