STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ

RE: Police Shooting in the East Bronx

 

“We have a problem, not just in the Bronx but across the City. In the past week we have seen a well-publicized video documenting apparent police brutality, the attempted murder of a police officer in Brooklyn, and, this afternoon, a young, unarmed man saw his life end by a police officer’s bullet.

“I’ve had enough, on all sides. I cannot and will not tolerate incidents of police misconduct. It is especially disturbing that a young man, who did not have a gun and was in his own home, could see his life end in such a sudden manner at the hands of those charged with his protection. This is especially disturbing given that we are approaching the anniversary of the unfortunate death of Amadou Diallo. A great deal of work has been done since that time to improve police-community relations, and tragic incidents like this have the potential to undo years of good work. A full investigation into this incident must occur, and immediately. 

“Our police officers must be better trained to deal with the communities they work in, to better respect the lives of those they are charged with protecting and serving. We can no longer tolerate our young men and women falling victim to excessive violence at the hands of our police, or worse yet, lose their lives unjustly.

“At the same time, Police Officer Kevin Brennan lays in a hospital after a gun-toting thug attempted to take his life. The violence on our streets must come to an end. We must respect the hard work of our police department, those men and women who put their lives on the line to protect law-abiding citizens each and every day, and continue to fight to curb illegal gun violence in our streets. I myself have been harassed by the police. I am also the brother of an NYPD sergeant. I understand both sides of this issue, and I know that something must be done to put an end to this violence,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.