Bronx DA releases video, audio in police-involved shooting of Kawasaki Trawick

The Bronx District Attorney's office released 20 minutes of video showing the series of events and 911 calls leading up to officers first using their stun gun on Trawick, then shooting and killing him inside his Bronx apartment last April.

News 12 Staff

Nov 18, 2020, 3:18 AM

Updated 1,466 days ago

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New video was released of the police-involved shooting death of Kawasaki Trawick in 2019.
The Bronx District Attorney's office released 20 minutes of video showing the series of events and 911 calls leading up to officers first using their stun gun on Trawick, then shooting and killing him inside his Bronx apartment last April.
The D.A. also released a 42-page report on the investigation that found no criminality on the part of the officers involved.
Ellen Marie Trawick says her son had moved to New York in 2016. She says his passion was dance and he was trying to start a dance and aerobics club.
On the night of April 14, 2019, he got locked out of his Grand Avenue Apartment. This was the start of a series of 911 calls.
The private security guard on duty called twice and the super called once as Trawick was seen on video roaming the halls of the Hill House, a nonprofit supportive living facility. He banged on doors with a long stick and held what appears to be a knife, trying to get the super to help him.
Trawick himself then called 911, saying he's locked out of his apartment, the super is busy, but he needs to get inside because someone is trying to attack him.
Firefighters arrived to the scene and broke into Trawick's apartment so he can get inside, and everyone seemed to be calm.
However, after the fire department left Trawick’s apartment, two officers responded and spoke with the security guard for a few minutes in the lobby before knocking on Trawick's door twice, then pushing open the door.
An officer's body camera shows that they found Trawick in his underwear in the kitchen area of his apartment. He is seen repeatedly asking why they kicked open his door and why they are in his home.
Trawick is then seen picks up a knife and refuses to drop it when officers tell him multiple times. When he doesn't, one officer apparently uses a stun gun on him.
Trawick is seen gets back up, screaming at the officers to get out and moving towards them. This is when the officers fired multiple shots, killing him.
Trawick's mother and her attorney claim the officers escalated the situation.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark wrote in her report that no charges will be filed, but the report revealed the responders lacked information that would have been helpful when they encountered Trawick.
She wrote that there was a gap in communication with the housing facility and the investigation revealed the need for thoughtful review of police procedures and training techniques for these types of interactions.
News 12 reported last week about the pilot program announced by the city. The program will ensure health professionals and EMS teams will respond to mental health 911 calls instead of the NYPD, in two precincts.