Brooklyn police-involved shooting leaves man dead; Bratton cites accidental discharge

EAST NEW YORK -- An unarmed man was killed in a police-involved shooting in an East New York building Thursday night.

Sources confirm to Eyewitness News that it appears the bullet ricocheted off the wall of the stairwell before hitting the victim in the chest. That would indicate that the police officer who pulled the trigger would not have been aiming at the victim.

"I just want to think about the family right now," Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

When the mayor and police commissioner came to Red Hook and paid their respects to Akai Gurley's family Friday night they knew there really wasn't much they could say.

"It was a very human moment," said Kristen Foy, National Action Network.

After all, Gurley's domestic partner Kimberly Ballinger must now raise two kids without their dad. Foy has been with her all day.

"The first thing the mayor, first lady, and police commissioner did was to give her a hug and a kiss and embrace her, express their condolences," Foy said.

But across town at the Louis Pink Houses on this cold night the temperature was rising with outrage after what police call a freak accident.

"This in fact was a very unfortunate tragedy involving an accidental discharge," Police Commissioner William Bratton said.

Thursday night, Officer Peter Liang and his partner, both rookies, were conducting a so-called "vertical patrol" down a staircase in the dark.

Liang had his gun drawn when Gurley and a friend suddenly entered the stairwell. The 27-year-old officer, Bratton says, unintentionally shot Gurley in the chest.

"Not engaged in any activity other than trying to walk down the stairwell," Bratton said.

Bratton had already announced plans to pair rookies with more experienced officers, plans that had not yet taken effect.

Officer Liang is now on modified assignment. Ronald Chan is his next-door neighbor, and a friend.

"I honestly think it was an honest mistake. It's not like he did it on purpose," Chan said.

"If his gun had been holstered, if his safety had been on, or if his finger had not been on the trigger, this moment would not have happened. And so there are questions that need to be answered. It's those succession of events that led us to this moment," Foy said.

The shooting is being investigated by the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office and NYPD Internal Affairs.

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson released the following statement:

"As we continue to gather the facts, the fatal shooting of this unarmed man is deeply troubling and warrants an immediate, fair and thorough investigation. Many questions must be answered, including whether, as reported, the lights in the hallway were out for a number of days, and how this tragedy actually occurred."

PBA president Patrick J. Lynch spoke out in support of the officers.

"The Pink Houses are among the most dangerous projects in the city, and their stairwells are the most dangerous places in the projects," he said. "Dimly-lit stairways and dilapidated conditions create fertile ground for violent crime, while the constant presence of illegal firearms creates a dangerous and highly volatile environment for police officers and residents alike. Only time and a thorough investigation will tell us what transpired in this case."