UPDATE: 10:30 P.M. EST
Police are estimating that about 70 people marched to the 67th Precinct station in East Flatbush to protest the shooting death of Kimani Gray.
Police say the crowd threw items at windows and rocks and bottles at the building before the situation was brought under control.
However, protesters on the scene said that they were protesting peacefully to call for an investigation of the officers involved in Kimani’s death.
The group of protesters continued to march from Snyder Avenue and ended up at Church and East 57th Street, where they continued to demonstrate.
It didn’t appear the protesters were part of an organized group or event. There were no arrests.
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UPDATE: 10:04 P.M. EST
A protest is currently underway in Brooklyn over the death of Kimani Gray, the 16-year-old who was shot 11 times by undercover police officers in New York.
Individuals are gathering at Nostrand Ave & Snyder Ave. The NYPD are on scene.
This story is developing.
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Two undercover plainclothes police officers shot and killed a 16-year-old boy after they say he pointed a gun at them.
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The undercover cops shot Kimani Gray in New York on Saturday, after they approached him and he “adjusted his waistband” in what the police described as a suspicious manner. When the police asked him to “show his hands,” they claim Gray turned around and pointed a gun at the officers, who then fired 11 rounds.
According to police, Kimani Gray was shot multiple times in the leg and stomach when he pointed a .357 revolver at the cops in East Flatbush just before 11:30 p.m. on Saturday. “The cops, they just jumped out of the car so fast,” witness Devonte Brown said. “They started shooting him and he went down, he was bleeding, holding his side, screaming, ‘stop, stop,'” Brown said of Gray.
Gray didn’t fire any shots. He was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he died.
The officers were taken to New York Methodist Hospital in stable condition with trauma and tinnitus. Police say they have no evidence of wrongdoing by the officers, whose names have not been released. But witnesses are casting doubt on the incident.
“We didn’t know he had a gun,” said 15-year-old Akeem Brown, who was one of the six teens hanging with Gray. “We were just hanging out.”
Cops added that Gray had four prior arrests on his record, including charges of grand larceny, possession of stolen property and inciting a riot.
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According to Think Progress, witness accounts differ greatly from the officers’ account.
Eyewitness says Gray was “running for his life” when he was shot dead. “‘He was running for his life, telling the cops, ‘Stop,’ said witness Camille Johnson. ‘They really are, seriously, walking around, shooting little kids.’” [Pix11, 3/10/13]
Eyewitness says Gray was adjusting his belt, not shooting his gun, when the shooting began. “Mr. Gray’s sister, Mahnefah Gray, 19, said that a witness to the shooting told her that her brother had been fixing his belt when he was shot.” [New York Times, 3/10/13]
Eyewitness says, after he was shot, Gray said “please don’t let me die.” One of the officers responded “Stay down or, we’ll shoot you again.” [New York Times, 3/10/13]
Friends says “Kimani had just returned from a baby shower, and was shot only minutes after he was dropped off on East 52nd Street.” [NY1, 3/10/13]
Gray’s sister and others say he did not own a gun. “Mr. Gray’s sister, Mahnefah Gray, 19, said that a witness to the shooting told her that her brother had been fixing his belt when he was shot. She, among others who knew Mr. Gray, said they had never known him to have a gun.” Gray’s cousin, Malik Vernon, also “insisted he didn’t own a gun.” [New York Times, 3/10/13; New York Post, 3/11/13]
This story is developing, but police have yet to confirm if the officers will be apprehended.
SOURCE: ThinkProgess
