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Tensions with NYPD after teen shooting flare for third night

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:32:00 +0000

For the third night in a row, Brooklyn's East Flatbush was under police lockdown as a crowd nearing 100 took to the streets expressing anger at the NYPD over the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Kimani Gray last weekend. As John Knefel, who was covering the scene for Gothamist Wednesday night, noted "Though the 16-year-old's death was the most obvious catalyst the night's protest, it was clear that frustration with the NYPD extended beyond this one case, as demonstrators taunted cops all night with chants of 'Don't Shoot Me!'"

According to the New York Post, 50 people were arrested Wednesday night -- including Gray's sister. Knefel noted a "particularly tense stand-off between a female demonstrator and a male police officer," which, he reported, "began with the cop telling her to get on the sidewalk, and her responding, "Or what, you'll shoot me?" The officer, whose helmet had the number 7987 on it, said, 'No, but I'll slap you.'"

Eyewitness is “certain” teen shot by NYPD had no gun

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:46:00 +0000

According to police accounts, 16-year-old Kimani Gray pulled a gun on two plain clothes officers before they shot him 11 times in his Brooklyn neighborhood on Saturday night. However, as Ryan Devereaux noted Wednesday in the Village Voice, "The only civilian eyewitness to come forward in the case of a Brooklyn teen shot dead by a pair of plainclothes New York City police officers is 'certain' the 16 year-old was empty-handed when the cops opened fire."

Tishana King, a local resident who came forward as a witness, told the New York Daily News that she had a “bird’s-eye view” of the fatal police shooting. “I’m certain he didn’t have anything in his hands,” said King. Meanwhile Police Commissioner Ray Kelly maintained at City Council hearing Tuesday that "there's nothing to indicate that this shooting, at this time, was outside the guidelines." As Devereux wrote, "King gave a tape recorded interview to the NYPD hours after the shooting and never mentioned the teen possessing a firearm. A .38-caliber Rohm's Industry revolver was found at the scene." King's testimony promises to further fuel anti-police sentiment stoked by Gray's shooting.

Anger at NYPD after shooting of 16-year-old boils over in streets

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:10:00 +0000

Updated, Wednesday, March 13: On Tuesday night, East Flatbush saw a second night under police lockdown as scores of riot and beat cops surrounded a small follow up march against NYPD brutality.

During a City Council hearing earlier that day Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said, "There's nothing to indicate that [Kimani Gray's] shooting, at this time, was outside the guidelines."

Councilman Jumaane Williams, whose district includes East Flatbush, responded to the police chief that the demonstrations on Monday night were not just about Gray's death, but about years of frustration with police."People are angry," he said according to NY1. "I feel it. I hear it. I know it. And it sucks when you are trying to tell the people who can actually do something about it, and they're refusing to listen."

Original post: There was a debate on Twitter Monday night as to whether a riot or a protest was going on in Brooklyn. Although questions of when an event gets labeled a "riot" or a "protest" are interesting (is race a factor? window-breaking? the presence of riot cops?), there are no determinate answers, and what's more important, and certain, is this: Anger at the NYPD following the fatal shooting of another teenager is once again boiling over and manifesting in New York's streets.