Two rookie officers were sent to patrol a stairwell in a housing project--they were not there to investigate a call. While in a darkened stairwell (there had been numerous complaints about the stairwell having no lighting but they were not addressed until after the shooting) 28 year old Akai Gurley was shot and killed when he and his girlfriend entered the stairwell on the floor above the officers. The officer claimed to have accidentally discharged his weapon. The officers did not offer aid to the victim and did not call in to report the shooting until 5 minutes after the victim's girlfriend had called 911 from a neighbor's apartment. Gurley was the father of a 2 year old daughter.

 

Link:

 

Panicked NYPD rookie fatally shoots unarmed man in Brooklyn - NY Daily News

 

 

It was obviously a bad shoot. My questions are these: Why was the officer running around with his gun already drawn when they were there on a "routine vertical patrol?" If the routine patrol was dangerous enough that the officers needed to do it with guns drawn why were 2 rookie officers performing it? The officer that pulled the trigger was a probationary officer and the other officer was barely more experienced. Why did they not offer aid or immediately call in the shooting? I would think they should both be fired/face charges for that fact alone.

 

The DA has not decided yet whether to offer the case to a grand jury.

I fully expect every single killing to be on the news from now on.

I fully expect every single killing to be on the news from now on.

 

Just stop...

I fully expect every single killing to be on the news from now on.

Not every one....

I have only read a little about this one, but I wonder why he had his gun out as well.

Man, this story is just awful...

I have only read a little about this one, but I wonder why he had his gun out as well.

 

Me either. If the place is so scary that they have to walk up the stairwell with guns drawn when their only job is to walk up the stairwell then you would think that they would not send 2 inexperienced officers. If it is not you would think that the officers would have been trained better.

If an ordinary citizen goes outside of their house to investigate a noise and accidentally discharges their gun killing their neighbor they'd almost certainly face charges. Should the officer in this case or does he get a pass?

According to a report today, the officer sent a text message to his union rep prior to rendering aid to the guy who was shot.

If an ordinary citizen goes outside of their house to investigate a noise and accidentally discharges their gun killing their neighbor they'd almost certainly face charges. Should the officer in this case or does he get a pass?

 

If the officer says he felt threatened, no charges.

According to a report today, the officer sent a text message to his union rep prior to rendering aid to the guy who was shot.

 

Neither officer rendered any kind of aid and did not report the shooting until 5 minutes after the victim's girlfriend was able to get a neighbor to open her door and call 911.

Here it is:

EXCLUSIVE: Cop texted union rep as Akai Gurley lay dying - NY Daily News

If the officer says he felt threatened, no charges.

 

Yea because that is the same thing that happened

 

Here

 

and here

 

Police never get arrested...

Yea because that is the same thing that happened

 

Here

 

and here

 

Police never get arrested...

 

Show me where I said police NEVER get arrested...

Show me where I said police NEVER get arrested...

 

 

I find the argument similar to "McDonalds made me fat." Aren't we responsible for the choices we make?

 

Unless you're a cop.

 

If the officer says he felt threatened, no charges.

 

Perhaps you meant something else with these posts.

 

FWIW I was being sarcastic with my "police never get arrested" comment.