COPS 2021 – present
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Mark A. Ondus
Gender : Male
Age : 56
Race : White
Date : 10/09/2025
Location : Western New York (home area)
City : Dunkirk / Eden (service area)
County : Chautauqua
State : New York
Agency : New York State Police
Cause of Death : Job-Related Illness
Event : 9/11-related line-of-duty death related to World Trade Center service
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 10/09/2025, Retired Trooper Mark A. Ondus of the New York State Police died from colon cancer that developed following his service assignment to the World Trade Center search and recovery efforts after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Ondus entered the New York State Police on April 11, 1994, and served for 26 years before retiring on January 20, 2021. His death in 2025 was approved as a line-of-duty death by the department due to the connection between his World Trade Center service and the illness from which he died. Flags were flown at half-staff across the state in his honor and law enforcement memorial protocols were observed.
Prior Notable Incidents:
No prior on-duty critical or traumatic incidents were documented in the publicly available reporting related to his death.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.odmp.org/officer/27670-trooper-mark-a-ondus
https://troopers.ny.gov/mark-ondus
https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/retired-nystrooper-mark-ondus-dies-at-56/71-b63a8b8b-428a-4c72-ad45-6e9ef9c26d79
https://www.spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2025/10/13/service-honors-fallen-officer-who-served-at-ground-zero
