Unarmed man killed by police in NY housing complex

[gfrlaser]

The Mayor blames this on poor lighting

NEW YORK (AP) — A man leaving his girlfriend's apartment was shot and killed in a darkened stairwell of a public housing complex after a rookie cop on patrol fired his weapon, likely accidentally, officials said Friday.
Twenty-eight-year-old Akai Gurley had spent the evening at the Louis Pink Houses in Brooklyn's East New York neighborhood when he entered the dark hallway about 11 p.m. Thursday on the seventh floor. Meanwhile, the two officers, who had come from the roof down the stairwells on patrol, were on the eighth floor. Police Commissioner William Bratton said officer Peter Liang had his gun and flashlight out and apparently accidentally fired one shot. The round struck Gurley in the chest, and he died later at a hospital.

"What happened last night was a very unfortunate tragedy," Bratton said. "The deceased is totally innocent. He just happened to be in the hallway. He was not engaged in any criminal activity."
Bratton said Gurley and his girlfriend tried to get into the elevator, but it wasn't coming so they got into the stairwell. Police officials have pieced together the details from radio reports and other interviews but have not spoken to Liang. The officer must first be interviewed by the district attorney's office, which will decide whether to file criminal charges, and then he will be interviewed by internal affairs officers, which is standard policy.

Gurley's girlfriend, Melissa Butler, told the Daily News of New York she was walking him out of her seventh-floor apartment after braiding his hair when the shooting happened.
"He didn't do nothing wrong," she said. "He was just standing there and they shot him. He was an innocent man."
Butler said she and Gurley made it down two flights of stairs after he was shot, but he collapsed on the fifth-floor landing and lost consciousness He was taken to a nearby hospital where he died, police said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said the poor lighting in the stairwell of the housing complex reinforces the need for better lightning in public housing after years of neglect.


Gurley has a 2-year-old son, and his mother lives in Florida, police said.

Unarmed man killed by police in NY housing complex

 

[S&W645]

Mayor; It was the fault of the dim bulb behind the trigger. Not the dim bulb over the scene.

 

[NavyLCDR]

And the police officer is on paid administrative leave - gets to keep his tax payer paid wages while he sits at home under the protection of his union paid for lawyers.

 

[Seamsealer]

Mayor Bill de Blasio said the poor lighting in the stairwell--they were on patrol. There wasn't even a 911 call or an emergency in that hall way for any type of investigation.
The cop had a flashlight in hand. Holy sh!t.

 

[XD40scinNC]

If the gun fired without the trigger being pulled, then it is an accident.

Otherwise not an accident.

 

[vernsimpson]

Mayor; It was the fault of the dim bulb behind the trigger. Not the dim bulb over the scene.

I do believe you NAILED it!!!!

 

[Ringo]

Where's the Grand Jury???


MARANATHA! :victory:

~ AMERICA...at risk of being the best informed society that has ever died of ignorance ~​

(Reuben Blades)​

 

[Deanimator]

Well, that is about the worst kind of luck you can get. What the hell where those officers thinking?

That they can kill with absolute impunity?

If so, they're probably right.

 

[the dark]

No reason at all is cited for why he would have had his handgun unholstered. Tragedy and piss - poor training. Negligent homicide at best.

 

[apvbguy]

the NYPD is so anti gun that it doesn't train it's officers well enough for them to become proficient in the use of the tools of the trade (firearms) only the specialized units get more than a basic education in weapons.
if an NYPD officer becomes too "gun centric" he will probably get taken off the streets and evaluated and then he will probably get assigned to a job with no public contact and no chances for advancement.

 

[apvbguy]

If the gun fired without the trigger being pulled,

which most of us know is almost impossible

 

[BC1]

I heard from another NYC cop that he had his finger on the trigger and fired when surprised. Poor handling. There's a reason we keep our finger off the trigger,

 

[apvbguy]

I heard from another NYC cop that he had his finger on the trigger and fired when surprised. Poor handling. There's a reason we keep our finger off the trigger,

you didn't need to hear it from anyone, it was plainly obvious what happened, the copper was poorly trained and when surprised he let one rip.
what a shame for the victim and his family

 

[Rhino]

Well, that is about the worst kind of luck you can get.....Will they be checked for drugs?...

Yes, they will. It's standard procedure that they be checked for drugs and alcohol. They tested me after the accident that broke my back. And it isn't always strictly for legal reasons. There's insurance and monetary liability that fits into the picture as well. In my case it was a requirement of Workers Comp that I be tested since I was working on a rescue squad at the time of the accident and Workers Comp was on the hook for my medical bills. But it works the same way whether the liability is legal or monetary, or even both. If you're under the influence of anything you shouldn't be, the public system will disavow all liability and you'll be personally responsible for whatever consequences resulted from the incident in question. So yeah, you bet they test.

 

[Deanimator]

you didn't need to hear it from anyone, it was plainly obvious what happened, the copper was poorly trained and when surprised he let one rip.
what a shame for the victim and his family

Have no fear, the cop's supporters will be peeing on his memory for all they're worth. They'll spare no effort justifying what happened. Aftr all, like the cops who shot up the paper deliverywomen in L.A., he was "scared"...

 

[S&W645]

Yes, they will. It's standard procedure that they be checked for drugs and alcohol. They tested me after the accident that broke my back. And it isn't always strictly for legal reasons. There's insurance and monetary liability that fits into the picture as well. In my case it was a requirement of Workers Comp that I be tested since I was working on a rescue squad at the time of the accident and Workers Comp was on the hook for my medical bills. But it works the same way whether the liability is legal or monetary, or even both. If you're under the influence of anything you shouldn't be, the public system will disavow all liability and you'll be personally responsible for whatever consequences resulted from the incident in question. So yeah, you bet they test.

And if you are a CDL driver, you will also get tested. Because with a CDL, the tolerance for alcohol is 1/2 what it is for a regular driver. And it won't matter if a public or private employee, you will get dropped from any WC coverage if tested positive beyond the .04% BAC.