Hundreds of people protest at a march in Brooklyn demanding justice for Akai Gurley. Gurley, 28, was shot by a rookie cop named Peter Liang. Liang shot his gun ‘by accident’ while patrolling inside an apartment building in Brooklyn. Read more on the story and check out the photos below!
Over 200 people marched together to NYPD station houses and outside the Police Service Area No. 2 building in Brooklyn asking for justice for Akai Gurley who was shot dead by a rookie cop. Protestors also staged a ‘die-in’ at Police Service Area No. 2, During the protest, Gurley’s partner, Kimberly Ballinger, held up a sign with his name on it. Her 2-year-old daughter, Akaila, pointed toward the sign and said, “Is that Daddy?”
At the march, protesters chanted “Akai Gurley ain’t no accident” and “No justice, no peace, no racist police. Gurley’s aunt told the crowd of protestors that Officer Peter Liang belongs behind bars. Hertencia Peterson said, “Peter Liang is guilty of criminal negligence…why isn’t he in jail?” Gurley was not armed when he was killed in November at the Pink Houses building in Brooklyn. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton called it “an unfortunate accident.” Liang was holding his flashlight in one hand and his 9-mm. pistol in the other hand when he shot Gurley while doing a stairwell protocol. His gun was apparently fired on accident and the bullet bounced off a wall and struck Gurley. Bernadine Bishop, 70, said “We live in (public) housing and we’re just tired of our sons and brothers getting shot for no reason.” Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson is currently investigating the shooting. The protesters also visited the 75th Precinct station house and turned their backs on the officers who gathered outside.
Check out the photos from the Akai Gurley protest in the gallery!
