Gurley’s Stairwell Murder
Liang, gun and flashlight drawn, and his partner, Shaun Landau, entered an eighth-floor stairwell in one of the buildings at Louis Pink Houses, according to the police. Almost simultaneously, Gurley and his girlfriend entered the stairwell one floor below. Liang, an Asian-American officer, fired a single shot which struck Gurley.
Gurley then stumbled down to the fourth floor and knocked on a woman’s door who called 9-11.
Instead of administering first aid during that period, Liang and his partner texted their union representatives, according to the Daily News. Their commanding officer and an emergency operator couldn’t reach the duo for more than six and a half minutes.
The officer’s command also recently ordered them to not carry out these types of patrols, known as “verticals.”
Soon after the incident, police commissioner William Bratton called the shooting of a “totally innocent” man an “unfortunate tragedy.”
Liang had spent less than 18 months on the force when he was assigned him to patrol the Louis Pink Houses.
The district attorney’s office formally announced charges against Liang on Wednesday: namely manslaughter and official misconduct.
Personally, I support the indictment. A public court should have a chance to weigh the evidence and determine Liang’s responsibility in the shooting, which the NYPD has already deemed accidental. The victim and his family deserve as much.