Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson will convene a grand jury in the death of a 28-year-old Red Hook man who was shot by a rookie NYPD officer last month.
Thompson says a grand jury is necessary to get to the bottom of the case and find out what happened. The family of the victim, Akai Gurley, says this is exactly what they had hoped for. Gurley's mother, Sylvia Palmer, broke down in tears as she spoke publicly about her son for the first time since his death, saying he died an innocent man.
Gurley, the father of a 2-year-old girl, was unarmed when he was shot in the chest inside a dimly lit stairwell at the Pink Houses in East New York on Nov. 20. Investigators say rookie Officer Peter Liang was on patrol with another new officer when he pulled the trigger. NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton called the shooting an unfortunate accident. Liang has since been placed on modified duty.
Meanwhile, the Daily News is reporting that more than six minutes went by before officers radioed in that shots had been fired. The newspaper also says that Liang texted his union representative before reporting the incident; however, neither the NYPD or the PBA have confirmed the allegations.
A wake for Gurley was held Friday night in Clinton Hill. His funeral will be held Saturday at the Brown Memorial Baptist Church in Clinton Hill. Mayor Bill de Blasio has said that the city will cover all costs.