Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson issued the following statement regarding the indictment of New York City Police Officer Peter Liang for the Death Of Akai Gurley.
“Shortly after the tragic death of Akai Gurley in a stairwell of the Louis H. Pink Houses in East New York, Brooklyn, I promised to conduct a full and fair investigation to get to the bottom of what happened that night. I can now report that the District Attorney’s Office has completed a thorough investigation into this matter.
As a result of the investigation a grand jury has returned a six-count indictment charging New York City Police Department Officer Peter Liang with one count of second-degree manslaughter, one count of criminally negligent homicide, one count of second-degree assault, one count of reckless endangerment and two counts of official misconduct.
“NYPD Officers bravely put their lives on the line every day in service to New York. At no time was this more evident than when several officers responded to a shooting at the Pink Houses. As they always do, Officers rushed in 2724 Linden Boulevard to assist. When the Officers saw Mr. Gurley, they immediately dropped to their knees and attempted to render aid to save Mr. Gurley’s life,” said Thompson.
Liang was arraigned this afternoon before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun , where he pleaded not guilty and was released without bail. The top count of the indictment carries a maximum of 15 years in prison.
NYPD Police Benevolent Association Union President Patrick Lynch said Liang deserves due process.
“The fact the he was assigned to patrol one most dangerous housing projects in New York City must be considered among the circumstances of this tragic accident,” Lynch told reporters.
