Posted on 10/06/2012 10:02:05 AM PDT by Altariel
The city's top cop visited the Queens home of a grieving mom — a day after an NYPD detective killed her unarmed son. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly offered his condolences during the 15-minute meeting with Cecilia Reyes on Friday night.
“It was nice of Commissioner Kelly to come and see the family and offer his condolences. It was a nice gesture,” said Amanda Reyes, the 15-year-old sister of Noel Polanco, who was shot early Thursday morning.
The distraught mother would not come to the phone, but earlier Friday told the Daily News her 22-year-old son joined the Army National Guard six months ago in preparation for becoming a cop.
“All he wanted to do was go to the military, continue his career in the military, and then continue his career as an officer,” Cecilia Reyes said. “That was his dream.”
Police spokesman Paul Browne said his boss went to see Reyes “on his own volition to offer his condolences.” Browne would not provide details of the conversation.
Reyes is shopping for a lawyer and plans to meet with the Rev. Al Sharpton on Saturday.
The Queens district attorney’s office has launched an investigation to determine whether Detective Hassan Hamdy, a 14-year veteran who fired the fatal shot, committed a crime.
The NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau has questioned the eight Emergency Service Unit cops who were with Hamdy about 5:50 a.m. when he fired a single shot through the open window of the Honda Fit.
The bullet whizzed by front seat passenger Diane DeFerrari and hit Polanco, 22. Off-duty cop Vanessa Rodriguez, 29, was sleeping in the back seat of the vehicle. She’s on restricted duty after police say she stole a sweater from a Queens H&M store in June.
DeFerrari, 36, told the Daily News the gunfire appeared to be the result of road rage on the Grand Central Parkway near the 94th St. overpass in Queens. She also said Polanco’s hands never left the steering wheel. He posed no threat once police pulled him over for driving erratically after downing cognac at the Ice Lounge in Astoria, she said.
“Noel didn’t have a chance to put his hands up,” said DeFerrari, a mother of three. “They screamed, ‘Put your hands up!’ and shot at the same time.”
Sources said DeFerrari, a bartender at the lounge, was interviewed by investigators and stuck to her story.
The bullet whizzed by front seat passenger Diane DeFerrari and hit Polanco, 22. Off-duty cop Vanessa Rodriguez, 29, was sleeping in the back seat of the vehicle. She’s on restricted duty after police say she stole a sweater from a Queens H&M store in June.
DeFerrari, 36, told the Daily News the gunfire appeared to be the result of road rage on the Grand Central Parkway near the 94th St. overpass in Queens. She also said Polanco’s hands never left the steering wheel. He posed no threat once police pulled him over for driving erratically after downing cognac at the Ice Lounge in Astoria, she said.
“Noel didn’t have a chance to put his hands up,” said DeFerrari, a mother of three. “They screamed, ‘Put your hands up!’ and shot at the same time.”
Sources said DeFerrari, a bartender at the lounge, was interviewed by investigators and stuck to her story.
Michael Palladino of the Detectives’ Endowment Association dismissed DeFerrari’s account as “absurd.”
“No cop would shoot a person whose both hands are on the steering wheel,” he said. “Who’s she kidding?”
A benefit for Polanco is being planned for Sunday at the Ice Lounge, where he also worked. His National Guard unit up in Kingston is also planning a memorial for their “company clown.”
“I love the guy. We all did,” said Specialist Radoslaw Mosiej. “He was more than a brother.”
Police found no weapons in Polanco’s car, but they did find a 4-volt Ryobi power drill under the driver’s seat. Sources gave conflicting accounts as to whether he was reaching for it. Police officials said the drill, which he used at a car dealership where he worked, may not be significant in the investigation.
Looks like the NYPD understands that they have a big,*big* problem here.
Be a good idea to stay away from the place.
Looks like the NYPD understands that they have a big,*big* problem here.
At least large sugary drinks are banned tho! sarc
NYC is turning into a Third World Hell Hole.
sounds like someone stole the other 20 volts
It always has been.
***************
Who R U kidding... "detective"...
This may well come down to rightfully drawn and precautionary deployment of the police weapon...
...and very poor trigger discipline....
...that caused a needless and haphazard loss of this young man's life.
jmho....
“No cop would shoot a person whose both hands are on the steering wheel,” he said. “Who’s she kidding?”
Obviously. Case closed. Death by cop. Entirely justified. No further need for any investigation. Will the next person in line step forward?
But at least people are safe from 44 oz Soft Drinks and Salt in NYC.
Early articles said the cop was awake and flashing her badge. Looks like she wants to keep her job.
Let’s see Nanny Bloomberg try to blame this NYC shooting on out of state gun shops.
It looks like he watched “Blue Bloods” this past Friday.
I would like for one of these witnesses to sue for slander one of these days.
I’d like to know exactly what the crazy driver did to cause the cop to go into a “rage” and draw his gun in the first place. The driver obviously screwed up, big time, because now he’s dead.
It is getting fairly common nationally in the larger cities.
More likely is the cop on suspension comes back after a couple of weeks of R&R and quietly gets an award for heroism, even if the City is being hit with a multimillion $ lawsuit that is expected to win. The victim’s family needs to find another jurisdiction to live in now. Gang revenge for publicity hits also happens.
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