Overview

• Peter Zisopoulos, charged with second-degree murder in the 2022 stabbing of FDNY-EMS Capt. Alison Russo, has been found unfit to stand trial by court-appointed psychological experts.
• Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant issued an emergency order for a mental-capacity review, leading to further hearings to finalize the defendant's competency status.
• Zisopoulos, diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2008, has shown signs of disorganized thinking and reluctance to cooperate with his legal team, according to defense claims.
• If deemed unfit for trial, Zisopoulos could be committed to a facility for psychiatric observation and treatment under New York state law.
• The victim, Alison Russo, was a highly respected FDNY-EMS captain, and her death has drawn continued support from her family and the EMS community.