NYPD Officer Shoots & Kills Eighteen Year Old

Within a week’s time the NYPD has been scrutinized and investigated for unjustifiable shootings and the latest just clearly demonstrates that they are basically in need of being extensively reviewed. Since I was a child I have had nothing but respect for the NYC police department, but there are simply just the few who do not deserve the honor and respect associated with wearing a badge.

Police officers then were a little edgy due to the rising epidemic known as crack and although they had to occasionally rough up the drug dealers selling the stuff upon attempting to arrest them, they never shot any of them and the bust was definitely warranted. For the past few years however, we have heard of stories of drunken driving, corruption and senseless killings and it really has to end.

The latest incident just proves that the NYPD must be under scrutiny. Another death is in their hands, and this time the victim, 18 year old Ramarley Graham was shot in his own house because the police officers chasing him assumed he had a gun. What started out as a suspected drug bust soon turned deadly, as according to the officers on the scene one gave chase and cornered Ramarley in the bathroom, asked him to put his hands up and then yelled gun, gun before shooting Ramarley in the chest and killing him on the spot.

What bothers me most about these latest occurrences is the fact that our taxes pay for these officers to be trained and trained well. Whatever happened to shooting to wound as opposed to killing, and why are these occurrences happening so often? Police officers are supposed to uphold the law, not break them. Ramarley Graham did not have a weapon, and he was gunned down in the very home he shared with his family and his grandmother was also in the house.

This incident should only raise awareness and both Commissioner Kelly and Mayor Bloomberg should really focus on reassessing this situation and insuring the NYPD training programs fit the needs of our society as they are both too quick to defend but never truly do anything to avoid these situations from recurring. The officers in this case clearly stated they both saw Graham with a gun, yet the only thing found in the home was marijuana.

Yes, there are certain communities that need to be focused on and patrolled on a constant basis to protect the innocent, but not everyone you see on the streets is a drug dealer, mugger or murderer. Placing these two officers on desk duty till they investigate further should not be happening either. They should be suspended without pay until the investigation is final and if it turns out to be justifiable they can resume their duties with back pay. This way they may see that there are consequences for them as well and they aren’t exempt, and who knows they just may think twice before shooting first and asking questions later.