Mother Of Man Killed On GCP Meets With Queens DA
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The mother of an unarmed man who was shot and killed by a detective during a traffic stop on the Grand Central Parkway said she wants "justice" for her son.
Cecilia Reyes and her attorneys met with Queens District Attorney Richard Brown on Thursday.
"All I want is justice. I don't want this to be repeated," she said to reporters after her meeting with Brown. "I just want this to be done the right way."
1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reports
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Prosecutors have yet to decide if charges will be filed in the death of her son, 22-year-old Noel Polanco, or if a grand jury will be called in the case.
Reyes said she's optimistic that the investigation will be thorough.
"They're really going to work on this, they're going to investigate this and I really have faith they're going to do this," Reyes said.
Brown released a statement following the meeting saying the investigation is still in its early stages but that it is active, ongoing and will be completed as expeditiously as possible.
"When we conclude our investigation I expect that we will present all of the facts to the grand jury," Brown said.
Brown said he told Reyes and her attorneys "that our decisions in this case will be based solely on the facts and the law and that we will follow the evidence wherever it leads us."
Polanco was killed last week when he was shot by Det. Hassan Hamdy on the Grand Central Parkway near LaGuardia Airport. Police said Polanco had been pulled over for driving erratically and cutting off an unmarked Emergency Services Unit vehicle.
WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reports
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Hamdy's lawyer said the 14-year veteran detective fired through the passenger side window after police said Polanco grabbed for something under his seat. He said Polanco didn't comply with Hamdy's orders to put up his hands.
The detective fired one round, striking Polanco in the stomach and killing him, police said.
A passenger in Polanco's car said he had his hands on the steering wheel the whole time.
"There was no gun. His hands were on the vehicle, the steering wheel at all times," said Diana DeFerrari, who said she was sitting in the front seat. "This was an act of road rage by the police because my friend cut them off."
But Hamdy's lawyer said his client "felt threatened and was left with no other alternative other than the actions that he took."
No weapon was found.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said a grand jury will have to determine what happened. Hamdy's attorney told CBS 2 that they will "cooperate with the grand jury and the detective is looking forward to relating his version of events."
Reyes said her son was an Army National Guardsman and had recently started to fill out paperwork to go into active duty. She said he eventually wanted to become a police officer.
"He was just a beautiful child. Never gave me any problems and I will never forget him," Reyes said.
Polanco will be buried on Friday.
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