church-avenue-station-031313Almost 60 small business owners along a 25-block stretch of Church Avenue in Flatbush have shuttered their gates rather than risk more violence and looting after 16-year-old Kimani Gray was shot and killed by police here Saturday night, The New York Post reported. “I want to close the store. I want to lock the door. I’m terrified,” said a worker at K & S Fruit on Church, which closed early. Police shot Gray when he allegedly pulled a gun out of his pants; his family says he did not have a gun. Monday night, a protest and a vigil turned violent as some in the crowd trashed a nearby produce store and attacked a manager at Rite Aid. Another vigil planned for Tuesday was postponed. Council Member Jumaane Williams attended the protest Monday and warned Police Commissioner Ray Kelly at a budget meeting to expect more violence unless something is done to improve the relationship between the police and Flatbush area residents. “There’s a lot of anger here,” the Daily News quoted Williams as saying. “This isn’t just from one particular shooting. A whole community has not been heard for far too long.” Williams’ district includes the riot zone. In another, unrelated incident of alleged police brutality in the area, a landlord was shackled to a hospital bed for 17 days after cops broke her leg during a wrongful arrest in the hallway of her building in Flatbush in April, according to a recently filed lawsuit.
Photo by boneszooted
Riot-Wary Flatbush Turns Into Ghost Town [NY Post]
Top Cop Tangles With Pol Over Riot Sparked by Police Shooting [NY Daily News]
Councilman Warns of More Violence After Vigil for Teen Killed by Cops [DNAinfo]
Vigil for Kimani Gray Postponed After Night of Violence [DNAinfo]
Vigil for 16-Year-Old Shot and Killed by NYPD Cops Turns Violent [Huff Po]


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. Bottom line is if he didnt have a gun they are wrong, and another thing is police is train for situations like this so to be honest with yall they could had atleast shot him to restraine him not kill him cause once you are shot you will feel it and keep this in mind he is human this is real life not a movie so he will drop the gun ( if he had one ) if he is shot. Please a 16 year old with a gun against several cops with guns, comon idiots think.

  2. obviously this story could go either way. you can imagine both scenarios. we know many cops get into the game for the rush and to kick some ass. however:

    “Witnesses later told police investigators that the officers ordered Mr. Gray to stop. He responded, the police said, by pulling out his gun.”

    witnesses put this kid with a gun in his hand. who typically do not normally like talking to police. g-u-n i-n h-a-n-d o-n s-t-r-e-e-t. reported by the NYT, who like to point out that there were shots in the back before reporting that there were ones in front. that seems fairly credible at this point.

    “Friends, relatives and witnesses have questioned whether Mr. Gray had a gun, and if he did, whether he had pointed it at the officers.”

    unbelievable. if he did have a gun, and not point it at officers, at this point few will care in the general public. you have an illegal gun in your hand, the fate of your life stands in judgment of 10th of seconds. even though kid was young, you have to believe he knew this. its in just about every rap song.

    as a bystander, i really aghast at the statements of the family – this is starting to sound like a darwinian moment despite the grave tragedy.

    glad the protesters found time to steal some guys iphone.

    it is really hard to sympathize at this point.

  3. Well Brklynmind you’re absolutely wrong. The community has spoken out about the violence and killings that take place there. Just because the media doesn’t cover it does not mean it’s not happening. I went to several ‘stop the violence’ rallies in bed stuy last summer alone. There are communities group directly trying to help in this area.

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