Peaceful Demonstration Held On Fourth Night Of Protests For Brooklyn Teen Shot By Police
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Peaceful demonstrations took place Thursday night in East Flatbush to protest the death of a Brooklyn teenager who was shot and killed by police.
It was the fourth straight night of protests for 16-year-old Kimani Gray. He was shot by two plainclothes cops Saturday night after police said he pulled a .38 caliber gun on the officers.
Thursday's candlelight vigil and march was a stark contrast to the protests held earlier this week that led to violence and dozens of arrests.
Peaceful Demonstration Held On Fourth Night Of Protests
Speaking office of City Councilman Charles Barron, Carol Gray, the boy's mother, said she didn't condone the violent protests, but said she wants answers in her son's death.
"Why was Kimani begging for his life? Why was Kimani saying 'You got me, I'm down? Don't shoot no more?' Why was Kimani saying that if Kimani had a weapon to point at an officer," she asked reporters. "He was slaughtered and I want to know why.''
Carol Gray said her son was killed in front of his best friend's house after a birthday party. Autopsy results showed he was shot seven times in his shoulders, arms and legs, with wounds to the front and back of his body.
Police said Gray was with a group of young men Saturday night standing in front of a home on East 52nd Street when officers from the Brooklyn South Anti-Crime Patrol approached.
When the officers started to talk to the group, Gray began acting suspiciously, police said.
Police said at one point, Gray grabbed for something in his waistband. Gray then pulled out a gun and pointed it at the officers, according to police.
When the plainclothes officers saw the gun, they both fired, police said. Gray was pronounced dead at Kings County Hospital a short time later, police said.
A gun was recovered at the scene, but Gray's family maintains the teen wasn't armed. A lawyer for the Gray family has questioned the NYPD's account of what happened and said the family wants to know how the gun was recovered.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said authorities will conduct "a full and fair investigation" into Gray's death.
"I understand that there's anger in the community, but the way to get answers is not through violence or law-breaking,'' he said Thursday. "We cannot tolerate that, and we will not tolerate that.''
Police arrested Gray four times the past year on grand larceny, rioting and petty larceny charges.
"He's not the public's angel, but he's my angel and he's my baby and he was slaughtered and I want to know why," Carol Gray said.
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative duty pending an investigation, which is standard practice.
Another vigil is planned for Saturday.
Please share your thoughts below...
