A New York City policeman involved in a road rage killing has been stripped of his badge and gun.
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Though police initially said that Small punched Isaacs repeatedly in the head before the off-duty cop shot, security video footage released later in the week appears to show that Isaacs shot Small practically as soon as he approached the auto. That would conflict with accounts that Small repeatedly punched Isaac before being shot.
The video shows Smalls getting shot within seconds of approaching Isaacs’ auto. Isaacs, who had just left his shift at the local 79th Precinct, was treated at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for head contusions.
“I am committed to conducting a full, fair and independent investigation of this tragedy, and will follow the facts and evidence-including this video evidence-wherever they lead”, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a statement.
Chris LeDay, the Georgia man who first posted a video of the police shooting of Alton Sterling, also says he was detained by police the next day on false charges that he believes were a form of retaliation. They say there was no was back and forth that would have made Isaacs aware that he was being pursued or that Small knew he was an officer.
According to the video, Small was shot twice within the second of approaching officer’s vehicle. “His two kids were there”, Victor Dempsey, the victim’s brother said.
The vehicle he was in drives out of frame and a short while later a woman runs over to check on him.
Isaacs, also 37, reportedly told police he fatally shot Small because he’d reached through Isaacs’ auto window and punched the off-duty officer at least twice in the face during a road-rage scuffle in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Democrat and frequent NYPD critic said the officer should have taken steps to defuse the situation with warnings or simply by driving away. “Deadly force was not justified”.
However, the NYPD is investigating the incident and the family hopes that justice will be served.
Isaacs has been placed on modified duty pending an NYPD investigation and the attorney general’s investigation.
Small, who served time in a state prison for an assault conviction, died at the scene.
As reported, Isaacs was on his way home from work, when he allegedly thought he was being carjacked.
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Small’s adoptive mother, Geraldine Dempsey, told the Post that the entire incident should have been avoided.
