NYPD officers involved in L train shooting should be suspended, community leaders say
NEW YORK — Community leaders in Brooklyn are calling on the New York City Police Department to suspend the officers who shot at a suspect on a subway train Sunday.
Four people were injured, including one of the officers and two innocent bystanders.
2 bystanders struck after NYPD officers open fire on L train
Police say things escalated after Derell Mickells, 38, jumped the fare at the Sutter Avenue station and ignored multiple commands to stop, and the officers' Tasers were "ineffective." The NYPD says Mickells took out a knife and advanced on one of them.
One officer fired six rounds and the other fired three, police say. Mickells was struck, along with one of the officers, a 49-year-old male bystander and a 26-year-old female bystander.
Mickells, who was shot in the abdomen, faces several charges including attempted assault and criminal possession of a weapon. He remains in critical condition.
The officer who was accidentally shot in the armpit has been released from the hospital.
The 49-year-old bystander was struck in the head. The city confirms he's an employee at Woodhull Hospital. His family asked we not release his name at this time but shared he remains in intensive care at Kings County Hospital. The victim's cousin says the 49-year-old was on his way to work at the time.
Police sources say a bullet also grazed a 26-year-old woman's buttocks, and she was released from the hospital.
"My heart goes out to the family members, and I told the mother at the same time that, you know, I'm happy that her daughter survived," Mayor Eric Adams said.
As per police shooting protocol, the officers have been placed on desk duty as the NYPD investigates. The Civilian Complaint Review Board is also investigating.
Mayor Eric Adams defends NYPD after L train shooting
Tuesday, Adams and the NYPD were scrutinized by community leaders in Brownsville. One anti-violence group, Elite Learners, said it needs more city funding to respond seven days a week. They were off Sunday.
"Community solutions and communities need support," said group executive director Camara Jackson.
"The fact that they went into the subway car and shot in the midst of people on the platform ... shows that they are unhinged and unmanaged," said Omowale Clay, chair of the December 12th Movement.
"That's what the police should have said. They [should have] said, sir, we'll pay your fare," said former New York City Councilmember Charles Barron. "The most danger represented to the people of our community on Sunday afternoon was the police ... They should all be suspended, their weapons taken away from them."
Community members gave out free subway swipes at the Sutter Avenue station in protest of the NYPD officers' actions.
"Two dollars and 90 cents is not a bullet shot to the head," one protester said.
"They're clearly showing that our lives is ... worth less than $2.90," protester Nkululko Sechaba said.
"We understand fare evasion can be an issue, but the way that we tackle fare evasion is a bigger issue. If I can get shot getting on the train, that's a problem," protester Carl Ellis Grant said.
Police later said 18 people were taken into custody during the protest. One person was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and disorderly conduct, while 17 others were given desk appearance tickets.
The mayor defended the officers Tuesday.
"He was not shot for fare evasion. He was shot because he had a knife and he went after the police officers ... I thought those officers responded accordingly," Adams said.
The mayor said the city would look into purchasing new Tasers that are more effective.
"There's some new forms of Tasers that's coming out ... We're looking to have a single prong, and it's easier to execute," Adams said.
A review of NYPD data from 2022, the most recent available, shows Tasers were effective 66.6% of the times they were deployed by the NYPD, failing about 33% of the times.
"I think those officers took great strides to bring a person with 20, over, over 20 arrest history that we could talk about," Adams said.
Police are also still looking for a man who the NYPD says took the knife that the suspect had from the scene. If you have any information, call Crime Stoppers.