Communities United for Police Reform Responds to Indictment of Officer in Shooting Death of Akai Gurley

In response to the NYPD officer responsible for shooting Akai Gurley being indicted by a grand jury, Communities United for Police Reform released the following statement from spokesperson Joo-Hyun Kang.

“Today's indictment is a first step towards justice and a divergence from the usual failures of our justice system in cases of police officers who kill unarmed people of color, but it does not equal accountability since it is only the first phase of the process. Police officers are given incredible power, making it even more important that they be held responsible to the same laws they are paid to uphold. NYPD leadership must also be accountable for the use of hyper-aggressive tactics used primarily in Black and Latino communities that normalize an officer patrolling with a gun drawn in the homes of children and families when no immediate danger exists. Our deepest condolences remain with the family of Akai Gurley who deserve accountability and justice for their tragic loss, and DA Thompson should aggressively prosecute this case.

“District Attorney Thompson’s commitment to pursue justice in cases of police brutality and misconduct should be applauded. However, it doesn’t resolve the persistent, systemic and undeniable failure of district attorneys in New York and across the country to effectively carry out cases against police officers in these instances. We continue to support the appointment of a special prosecutor in cases of police killings, and Governor Cuomo can demonstrate national leadership on criminal justice reform with an executive order accomplishing that for New York.”

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