Report: Departmental charges recommended for officers involved in violent Avenue D arrest

Several NYPD officers involved in the violent arrest on Avenue D on May 2 will face disciplinary charges, The New York Times reported.

Per the Times:

Investigators with the New York Police Department have recommended misconduct charges against three police officers, including one who sat and knelt on the neck and upper torso of a man he was arresting, a maneuver similar to the one used in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, two people familiar with the matter said.

It is unclear what charges the officers, including Francisco X. Garcia, will face in connection with the investigation of the May 2 incident ... one of several police encounters that led to accusations of racial bias in the enforcement of social distancing, according to the two people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an internal police investigation.

Departmental charges are expected as soon as next week.

Garcia, who's stationed at PS4 on Avenue C, was stripped of his gun and put on a desk assignment following the ugly confrontation when an attempt to enforce social distancing rules escalated.

Garcia and his partners originally approached a man and a woman outside the corner deli on Ninth and D over a lack of social distancing, police officials previously said. This encounter reportedly led to an arrest on marijuana and weapons charges.

As seen in a widely circulated video shot by a witness, Garcia, who was not in uniform, then walks toward several bystanders, including Donni Wright, a nearby resident who works for the NYCHA. Police officials originally said that Wright took a "fighting stance," which led Garcia to shout the n-word and brandish a taser before wrestling Wright to the ground and kneel on his head.



Back to the Times:

Afterward, the officers filed charges accusing Mr. Wright of assaulting a police officer, but a spokesman for the Manhattan district attorney’s office said on Friday that prosecutors had dropped the case on May 18. The spokesman, Danny Frost, said prosecutors were still reviewing the officers’ conduct.

As previously reported, the city has paid out nearly $200,000 to settle lawsuits involving Garcia, an eight-year veteran.

Gothamist had more details on some of these incidents:

According to a complaint filed in 2013, Garcia allegedly told a woman eating with her partner inside a Harlem restaurant that she "dressed like a man." When the woman attempted to get his badge number, Garcia allegedly pushed her, then replied: "Take a fucking picture of it, fucking dyke." The city settled that suit for $8,500.

A year later, Garcia was accused of wrongfully arresting a man trying to visit his girlfriend inside a Washington Heights NYCHA building. According to a federal lawsuit, which the city settled for $27,500, Garcia "forced [the man] to the floor face-first," then punched, kicked, and clubbed him.

Meanwhile, Wright "filed a notice of claim announcing his intention to file a $50 million lawsuit against the city."

His lawyer, Sanford Rubenstein, also called on the district attorney to bring criminal charges.

"The video, pictures of the truth, clearly call for a criminal investigation of this matter," Mr. Rubenstein said. "The evidence is there."

For further reading: Gothamist has coverage of last night's protest — touched off by the death of George Floyd — in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, which saw the NYPD dousing the crowd with pepper spray and using batons during arrests. More coverage at PIX11.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• In aftermath of Avenue D arrests, pols want answers from city on how social distancing is being enforced

• Investigation for excessive force demanded after social-distancing arrests on Avenue D

• Caravan protest on Avenue C addresses racial bias and police violence in social-distancing arrests

Smash and grab at Caffé Bene on Avenue A

The NYPD was spotted at Caffé Bene this morning on Avenue A at 13th Street.

As the above photo by EVG regular Lola Saénz shows, the burglars — said to be wearing ponchos, masks and thick gloves — smashed part of the front glass door and made off with the shop's e-bikes.

There has been a reported rise in commercial burglaries in the past two months during the COVID-19 pause.

Caravan protest on Avenue C addresses racial bias and police violence in social-distancing arrests

[Photos by Louise & Danny]

Dozens of protestors, accompanied by community leaders, gathered outside Police Service Area 4 (PS4) on Avenue C and Eighth Street last evening to speak out against racial bias and aggressive enforcement of social-distancing arrests.



PS4 serves 25 New York City Housing Authority developments for four NYPD Precincts. It's also the station house for officer Francisco Garcia, who was stripped of his gun and put on modified duty following an ugly confrontation last Saturday on Avenue D and Ninth Street.

The incident, caught on video, shows Garcia punching and tackling Donni Wright, a local resident and NYCHA groundskeeper, while shouting the n-word, brandishing a taser and subsequently kneeling on Wright's head.

The Rev. Kevin McCall of the Crisis Action Center was said to organize last night's caravan protest, which included three stops at precincts in Brooklyn. This came on the heels of a New York Times report that revealed that 35 of 40 people arrested by the NYPD for not socially distancing in Brooklyn were black.

"[T]hey were beating us up before social distancing," local activist Shaheeda Smith told PIX11 last night. "Right here on the Lower East Side, they're doing this to Donni Wright. But on the East River, there are people running with no mask on. Not bothering with social distancing. Right at Tompkins Square Park, people are sitting down with wine in their hands, and we're getting thrown down to the floor."

Jill Woodward shared this footage from Eighth and C...

In aftermath of Avenue D arrests, pols want answers from city on how social distancing is being enforced

Local elected officials are calling on the city to report on why and how social distancing is being enforced.

The demand comes following a violent arrest on Avenue D and Ninth Street late Saturday afternoon that was captured on video via a bystander.

An NYPD officer, identified as Francisco Garcia who's stationed at PS4 on Avenue C, was stripped of his gun and put on modified duty following the ugly confrontation when an attempt to enforce social distancing rules escalated.

Per Gothamist:

" ... a plainclothes officer can be seen punching and tackling Donni Wright, a groundskeeper with NYCHA, while shouting the n-word, brandishing a taser, and subsequently kneeling on Wright's head. The confrontation began after officers, some of whom were not wearing face coverings, spotted "a number of people not wearing masks" at the corner of Avenue D and 9th Street, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said on Monday.

Shea told Pat Kiernan yesterday that he was not happy with some of the tactics that he saw used in the video. Mayor de Blasio had this to say...

Saw the video from the Lower East Side and was really disturbed by it. The officer involved has been placed on modified duty and an investigation has begun. The behavior I saw in that video is simply not acceptable.

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) May 3, 2020

And yesterday, a handful of elected officials, led by local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera, sent Shea and de Blasio a letter asking for "transparency and accountability" in the way the NYPD is enforcing social distancing.


[Click on image for more detail]

The letter reads in part:

This incident highlights our concerns that social-distancing enforcement may not be applied equally in all communities. Social media accounts portray scenes of people congregating in parks across New York City’s more affluent parks and neighborhoods, yet the enforcement actions that come to light are those like the May 2 event on East 9th Street and Avenue D, predominantly a community of color.

We, therefore, request that NYPD release a report on social-distancing enforcement statistics by neighborhood and demographic. The report should include all citations including warnings and fines, along with 311 complaint data on the matter so that we and the public can compare application of the law.

Communities of color have been particularly burdened by the COVID-19 outbreak, and it is imperative that, especially now, they see that New York City government is in their corner. In the interest of transparency and accountability – and to help repair the mistrust fostered by the May 2 incident and others like it in the past – please release this data immediately.

The letter is signed by Rivera, State Sen. Brad Hoylman, Assembly Member Harvey Epstein, U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, U.S. Congresswoman Nydia M. Velazquez, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Comptroller Scott Stringer and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.

Meanwhile, as previously reported, the city has paid out nearly $200,000 to settle lawsuits involving Garcia, an eight-year veteran.

Gothamist had more details on some of these incidents yesterday.

According to a complaint filed in 2013, Garcia allegedly told a woman eating with her partner inside a Harlem restaurant that she "dressed like a man." When the woman attempted to get his badge number, Garcia allegedly pushed her, then replied: "Take a fucking picture of it, fucking dyke." The city settled that suit for $8,500.

A year later, Garcia was accused of wrongfully arresting a man trying to visit his girlfriend inside a Washington Heights NYCHA building. According to a federal lawsuit, which the city settled for $27,500, Garcia "forced [the man] to the floor face-first," then punched, kicked, and clubbed him.

The letter also states that the officials "expect a full investigation of Officer Francisco Garcia. All disciplinary actions should be on the table, including dismissal."

For further reading:
Mother of man beaten in East Village social distancing melee rips NYPD

Investigation for excessive force demanded after social-distancing arrests on Avenue D

An NYPD officer has been placed on modified duty following an ugly confrontation on Saturday afternoon when an attempt to enforce social distancing rules escalated on Avenue D at Ninth Street.

A passerby shot a now-viral video of the encounter. Gothamist spoke with him:

Witness Daquan Owens, who took the video below, said the incident started after plainclothes officers approached a man and a woman talking outside a deli around 5:30 p.m. and ordered them to separate. But Owens says the two people were maintaining a six foot distance in accordance with rules intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.

"They were social distancing," Owens said in a telephone interview on Sunday. "The girl was standing by the phone booth, the guy was sitting on a milk crate. When the cops pulled up she said he’s not doing anything. They grabbed her and started tussling with her. Then the guy on the milk crate got mad and started yelling at police."

Here's a narrative of the video below:

Owens's video begins as several plainclothes officers attempt to handcuff two people outside the deli at the northeast corner of Avenue D and East 9th Street. At roughly the 35 second mark of the video, one of the officers turns and advances on bystander Donni Wright, 33, pointing a taser at him. Owens says the officer called Wright the n-word, which can be heard at the 37 second mark, and Wright can be heard asking the officer if he used the racial epithet.

"Move the fuck back right now," the officer shouts. "Don’t flex."

Also in circulation: Security footage showing the start of the incident...



According to the Times:

The police said that one man, Shakiem Brunson, was holding a bag of marijuana and became aggressive toward the officers, who moved to arrest him. While he was being handcuffed, a woman, Ashley Serrano, tried to intervene, the police said, and was also arrested.

Donni Wright, a groundskeeper for the NYCHA these past 10 years, was also arrested, and charged with assaulting a police officer.


[Donni Wright, pictured on the street]

The Times identified the officer in the Yankees cap as Francis X. Garcia, who is now on modified duty pending an internal investigation.

The city has paid out at least $182,500 to settle lawsuits involving Garcia, an eight-year veteran who works in the Housing Bureau, the Times uncovered.

As NBC 4 pointed out, the incident "has caught the attention of activists and New York City leaders who have demanded the city enact fair and uniform enforcement of social distancing across all communities."

Local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera is demanding an investigation into the use of excessive force.

I’ve contacted NYPD. We have demanded an investigation for excessive force. Regardless of what transpired before the video, what is the justification for the rage? Where's the professionalism and de-escalation tactics we should expect? We will hold these officers accountable. https://t.co/C7js7wl62D

— Carlina Rivera 利華娜 (@CarlinaRivera) May 3, 2020

Meanwhile, David Rankin, a civil rights lawyer representing Wright, told the Times that "the arrest fit within the police department’s long history of violating people’s rights to observe an arrest and called on the officer to be investigated 'fully, quickly, and thoroughly.'"

"The idea that he is doing this without any gloves and no masks, and using profanity and racially charged language, is just completely unacceptable," he said.

Details on the NYPD's Neighborhood Policing Listening Tour tomorrow night

This month, Fausto Pichardo, NYPD Chief of Patrol, is going on a Neighborhood Policing Listening Tour at different precincts in the city.

Per the invite: "Share YOUR experiences with how Neighborhood Policing is working in your community as we continue to move forward & build upon our initiatives."

The meeting, which includes for residents served by the 9th Precinct in the East Village, is tomorrow night (March 2) at 6:30 at 235 E. 20th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Here’s another reminder about the upcoming @NYPDChiefPatrol Neighborhood Policing Listening Tour, coming to Manhattan!

It’s THAT important that we hear from EVERYONE—residents, business owners, clergy, and community leaders—about your experiences with Neighborhood Policing. pic.twitter.com/N2gbWrWySN

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) February 27, 2020

NYPD's body-cam footage shows the deadly police shooting on Avenue A and 7th Street from Jan. 9

[Screengrab via the NYPD]

The NYPD yesterday released the dramatic body-worn camera footage from the deadly police-involved shooting early on Jan. 9 at Seventh Street and Avenue A.

As previously reported, two men, identified as Earl Facey and Richard Reid, got into an argument inside the Hayaty Hookah Bar at 103 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

The fight escalated outside the club, when the two men — each reportedly carrying a .22 caliber handgun — fired at each other in a wild exchange that left bullet holes in adjacent businesses. (The video the NYPD released yesterday includes surveillance footage of the two men shooting at each other.)

The chase ended in front of 113 Avenue A, the address of Ray's Candy Store, where Facey was said by police to shoot Reid in the torso. Two uniformed officers who were on patrol nearby shot Facey on the northwest corner of Avenue A and Seventh Street. Facey later died at Bellevue.

The release of the body-cam footage and subsequent narrative offered by the NYPD provides more details about the deadly encounter. In the video, the officers from the 9th Precinct are identified as Liam Murphy and Christopher McLaughlin. The officers arrived as Facey shot Reid, according to Det. Martin Brownlee of the NYPD's Public Information Division who narrates the video.

Facey did not comply with commands to drop his weapon and lie on the ground, Brownlee said. "He walked away from the officers still holding his firearm with his hands in front of him..."

According to Brownlee, as Facey walked south on Avenue A, "he outstretched his left arm." At this point, both officers fired at Facey. He was struck in the left hand and back, and fell to the ground in the crosswalk. Murphy fired two rounds and McLaughlin one.

The NYPD said that they are "releasing this video for clear viewing of the totality of the incident."

The video contains disturbing images — viewer discretion is advised.



As we exclusively reported on Jan. 10, Francisco Valera, a photographer and photojournalist/videographer, who lives in a front-facing apartment on Avenue A at Seventh Street, captured the aftermath of the shooting.

He shared this two-minute video that shows the moments after both Facey and Reid were shot. (The first 15 seconds of the video were filmed sideways.) In the clip below, two officers have their guns drawn, crouching behind a trashcan, looking toward Facey, in the green jacket lying in the intersection.

An unidentified voice can be heard yelling "two shooters down" and telling officers to "holster up." Officers can also be heard commanding passersby to "back off" multiple times.

In the street outside 113 Avenue A, officers are performing CPR on Reid, on his back in the white jacket. An unidentified man is seen pleading with the police. "Officer, please put him in a car. Put him in the car — you don't have a fucking second!" The sounds of an ambulance can be heard in the distance. The man turns to the north on Avenue A toward the approaching ambulance. He pleads with the officers again to take Reid to a hospital in an NYPD vehicle: "There's traffic because of this! What the fuck are you all doing!"

Viewer discretion is advised.



Police have said that both men were reputed gang members and have been linked to prior shootings.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: Video shows chaotic moments after fatal shootings on Avenue A

Retirement road

On Friday, Chief of Housing James "Jimmy" Secreto retired after 40 years with the NYPD.

And he chose NYPD Police Service Area 4 on Avenue C at Eighth Street for his sign-out ceremony.

EVG contributor Stacie joy shared these photos of his retirement ride, this vintage Plymouth ...





Police Service Area 4 serves 25 New York City Housing Authority developments in the 5th, 7th, 9th, and 10th precincts in Manhattan.

Police looking for 5 suspects in robbery inside building near 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

The NYPD is looking for five individuals wanted in a late-night robbery inside a building near Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

Police officials shared this info yesterday as well as the above images of three of the suspects...

The New York City Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in identifying the individuals depicted in the above photos wanted for questioning in connection to a robbery that occurred within the confines of the 9th Precinct. Details are as follows:

It was reported to police that on Thursday, Jan. 9, at approximately 12:30 a.m., at a residential building in the vicinity of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place, five individuals followed the 23-year-old male victim to the second floor of the building and demanded his property.

One of the individuals lifted his shirt to reveal a handgun in his waistband. The victim complied and the individuals fled the building in an unknown direction with a wallet containing multiple bank/credit cards. There were no injuries reported as a result of this incident.

The NYPD report did not include any descriptions of the suspects.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online. All calls are strictly confidential.

[Updated] NYPD officer pinned between vehicles during traffic stop on Houston and Avenue D

In case you're wondering about the helicopters and large NYPD presence this evening around 8.

According to media accounts, plainclothes officers had conducted a traffic stop on Houston and Avenue D/Pitt Street. ABC 7 reported that the suspect reversed his vehicle, pinning one of the officers against the police car.

The officer, from Police Service Area 4 on Avenue C and Eighth Street, reportedly suffered a leg injury and was taken up First Avenue to Bellevue.

The suspect drove off was arrested a short distance away, per the Citizen app. Charges are pending.

Updated:

CBS 2 has a different (and correct) version of what happened. According to the station, "an out-of-control van hit the officer's parked unmarked car from the back." The Post's account corraberates this version of the incident.

Police caught the driver of the mini-van nearby on Delancey and Columbia streets, per these two reports.

Updated 1/22

The Daily News reports that the driver of the mini-van was allegedly drunk:

Franklin Liz, 45, is now facing drunk driving, vehicular assault and reckless endangerment charges for starting a chain reaction on Tuesday evening that left a 39-year-old police officer in the hospital with a compound fracture to his right leg, cops said.

Updated: NYPD investigating report of man shot on Avenue C

There's a report of police activity late this afternoon on Avenue C between 10th Street and 12th Street... EVG regular Jose Garcia shared these photos...



The Citizen app reports that two people were shot with a pellet gun... and that police were searching for a suspect. There isn't much more information at the moment. Will update when more details are available. (An ABC-7 news truck was spotted on the scene.)

---

Updated: 7:30 p.m.

The Post reports that one man was shot... and that police arrested one man. And from the article: "Police said the shooter was armed with either a BB gun or a low-caliber pistol."

---

According to the MTA, M9 and M14D buses are being rerouted ...

M9 and M14D-SBS buses are detoured because of NYPD Activity between 10 St and 12 St at Avenue C. Details at https://t.co/4PI10QaRnr

— NYCT Buses (@NYCTBus) January 16, 2020

Updated: 9:48 p.m.

Christopher J. Ryan shared these photos from the scene tonight... there was still a large NYPD presence, suggesting that the shooting may have involved more than a pellet gun ...





As for the timeline, the first report of the shooting came in around 3:45 p.m. ... Avenue C between 10th Street and 13th Street was on lockdown, per Ryan, until 9:38 p.m., when the NYPD removed the police tape and allowed traffic to return to the Avenue.

Updated: 1/17

Citizen provided an update... the info about a lack of an arrest contradicts the Post's coverage ...



Updated: 1/22

The Village Sun received more details from police sources, including that it was in face a .22 and not a pellet gun used in the shooting.

Police sources also confirmed an arrest in the case, which happened on Saturday when police cuffed Tyshawn Morris, 21, of Albany, N.Y.

Morris was charged with attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of a loaded firearm, criminal possession of a defaced weapon — a weapon with its manufacturer’s serial number scratched off, removed or concealed — and criminal possession of a firearm.

No word on a motive.

Police searching for 2 suspects in knifepoint robbery at Anwar Grocery on Avenue B

Several EVG readers told us about a robbery late last Wednesday night at Anwar Grocery on Avenue B between Sixth Street and Seventh Street (next to Vazac's/7B/Horseshoe Bar). However, we didn't have much to go on — other than hearsay that one of the men pulled a knife when demanding the money.

Now come details via the NYPD, who released the following statement yesterday:

The New York City Police Department is asking the public's assistance identifying the two male individuals depicted in the photos [below] in connection to a commercial robbery that occurred within the confines of the 9 Precinct.

It was reported to police that on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 11:30 p.m. inside of the 106 Avenue B (Deli), two unknown male individuals entered the location. One displayed a knife and demanded cash from the 45-year-old store employee behind the register. One of the individuals removed approximately $200 cash from the register and they both fled the location on foot northbound on Avenue B. No injuries were reported.

The two individuals are described as follows:

Individual #1: male Black, 20-30 years of age, last seen wearing all dark clothing.

Individual #2: male Hispanic, 20-30 years of age, last seen wearing all dark clothing.

And the photos of the suspects...





Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online. All calls are strictly confidential.

Police searching for suspect in early morning stabbing in East River Park this past Dec. 24

The NYPD is looking for the above suspect for allegedly stabbing a man in the early morning hours of Dec. 24 in East River Park at 10th Street.

Here are details via the EVG inbox yesterday...

The New York City Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in identifying the individual in connection to an assault that occurred within the confines of the 9th Precinct.

It was reported to police that on Dec. 24, 2019, at approximately 4:30 a.m., inside of East River Park at East 10th Street and the FDR, the individual stabbed the 38-year-old male victim multiple times while he slept on a park bench.

When the victim woke up, the individual covered his face with a black ski mask and ran out of the park. The individual went over a footbridge, took his mask off and smiled at the victim as he fled into the Jacob Riis Housing Developments. The victim suffered stab wounds to his back and left arm; he was removed by EMS to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

The individual is described as a male, black, 5'11", 170 lbs, 25 to 35 years old; last seen wearing a black hooded sweater, gray sweatpants and light colored sneakers.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online. All calls are strictly confidential.

Mobile police lights arrive on St. Mark's Place

As you may have noticed, the NYPD has set up mobile lights outside 19-25 St Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. Steven shared these photos from Friday night...





It's not immediately clear why the the NYPD placed the lights here. Typically the lights arrive after a highly publicized incident. For instance, in October 2018, the NYPD set up a light tower on the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Second Avenue after several published reports about the growing number of increasingly unruly travelers/crusties gathering on the sidewalk.

The sidewalk bridge has been up here for what, two to three years? Readers have noted a menacing undercurrent at times here.

Both businesses on the lower level here are closed, making it an appealing spot to gather without any repercussions from store management. St. Mark's Market vacated the premises back in October. Mi Tea next door is currently closed for renovations. Also, upstairs tenant Chipotle shut down in August 2018. A new restaurant is going in to the space in the months ahead.

Exclusive: Video shows chaotic moments after fatal shootings on Avenue A

Early Thursday morning, two men, identified as Earl Facey and Richard Reid, reportedly got into an argument inside the Hayaty Hookah Bar at 103 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

The fight escalated outside the club, when the two men — each reportedly carrying a .22 caliber handgun — exchanged gunfire. Surveillance footage obtained by NBC 4 shows the two men "shooting at each other as they dance around a parked car," per the report, outside Hayaty.

The chase ended in front of 113 Avenue A, the address of Ray's Candy Store, where Facey was said by police to fatally shoot Reid in the torso. Two uniformed officers who were on patrol nearby shot Facey on the northwest corner of Avenue A and Seventh Street as he walked away, refusing multiple commands to drop his weapon and lie on the ground, according to police accounts and media reports. One officer fired his weapon twice, the other one time. Facey later died at Bellevue.

Francisco Valera, a photographer and photojournalist/videographer, lives in a front-facing apartment on Avenue A at Seventh Street.

"It was 3:38 a.m. I was awake, writing in my computer in my living room. It was pretty quiet. Suddenly I heard the shouts of what appeared to be men, nothing unusual for this crazy corner. Then I heard the shots — like three or four times," he said in an email. "I knew right away they were from guns. My dog ran toward
the window and I panicked, thinking the bullets could hit him. I turned the lights off and looked out the window to see a men laying in the middle of Avenue A."

He shared this two-minute video that shows the moments after both men were shot. (The first 15 seconds of the video were filmed sideways.) In the clip below, two officers have their guns drawn, crouching behind a trashcan, looking toward Facey, in the green jacket lying in the intersection of Seventh Street at Avenue A.

An unidentified voice can be heard yelling "two shooters down" and telling officers to "holster up." Officers can also be heard commanding passersby to "back off" multiple times.

In the street outside 113 Avenue A, officers are performing CPR on Reid, on his back in the white jacket. An unidentified man is seen pleading with the police. "Officer, please put him in a car. Put him in the car — you don't have a fucking second!" The sounds of an ambulance can be heard in the distance. The man turns to the north on Avenue A toward the approaching ambulance. He pleads with the officers again to take Reid to a hospital in an NYPD vehicle: "There's traffic because of this! What the fuck are you all doing!"

The video contains disturbing images — viewer discretion is advised.



Police said both men were reputed gang members and have been linked to prior shootings.

Previously.

Collateral damage at Hub Thai on Avenue A

An EVG reader shared these photos this evening... the front windows at Hub Thai on Avenue A were hit during the early morning shootout on Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

The restaurant is adjacent to the Hayaty Hookah Bar at 103 Avenue A, where a fight between Earl Facey and Richard Reid started. According to the Post, the altercation began after the women they were with bumped into each other.

Outside the bar, the two men reportedly shot at each other during a chase, per NBC 4. Both men were said to be carrying a .22 caliber handgun. Two uniformed officers who were on patrol nearby shot Facey on the northwest corner of Avenue A and Seventh Street after he refused multiple times to drop his weapon and lie on the ground, according to police accounts and media reports. Both men later died at Bellevue.



Per the reader: "I'm not an expert, but that doesn't look like a .22 shot — looks like a service revolver shot, perhaps 9mm or .45?"



Hub Thai was expected to reopen soon after the windows were repaired. Thankfully, the restaurant was closed at the time of the shooting.

A look at Avenue A and 7th Street this evening

Avenue A opened up again for vehicular traffic late this afternoon around 5 ... this after the NYPD finished their crime scene investigation following the deadly shooting early this morning.

An NYPD light tower remains on Seventh Street and Avenue A...





According to the NYPD, an argument that started inside the Hayaty Hookah Bar at 103 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street, spilled out into the street around 3:30 a.m.

One man, identified as Earl Facey, reportedly shot Richard Reid. Two officers from the 9th Precinct, on patrol nearby, responded to the scene. Police say the officers shot Facey, who was holding a weapon, three times after he refused to get on the ground. EMTs took Facey and Reid to Bellevue, where hospital officials pronounced them dead.

Police said that both men were in gangs and each had prison records.

Read more at this link.

Updating: NYPD investigating early morning police-involved shooting on 7th and A; 2 men dead

[9th and A at 6:30 a.m. via Vinny & O]

-----

Preliminary recap:

• Two men are dead after an early morning shootout on Avenue A at Seventh Street.

• Police say an argument that started inside the Hayaty Hookah Bar, 103 Avenue A, spilled out into the street.

• The two men, each armed, shot at each other. One of the men, identified as Richard Reid, 41, died. Both men were reportedly gang members.

• Two uniformed officers from the 9th Precinct, on patrol nearby, responded to the scene. Police say the officers shot the second man after he refused to get on the ground. The man, identified as Earl Facey (also ID'd as Lacey), 37, reportedly was on parole for a prior shooting for which he had served eight years in prison.

-----

Original post with updates...

There's a massive police response on Avenue A and Seventh Street [as of 5 a.m.] following an early-morning shooting involving two men on the southwest corner.

According to ABC 7, the gunfire was a result of a fight that started inside the Hayaty Hookah Bar, 103 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

Per ABC:

Both men were taken to Bellevue Hospital with injuries described as life-threatening.

No officers were injured in the gunfire, although two were being taken to the hospital to be treated for ringing in the ears.

A weapon has been recovered at the scene.

Avenue A is currently closed to through traffic between Fifth Street and 10th Street (as of 5 a.m.)...

M14A-SBS buses are detoured in both directions because of Police activity on Avenue A between St. Marks Pl and 7 St. Details at https://t.co/4PI10QaRnr

— NYCT Buses (@NYCTBus) January 9, 2020

We'll continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

Updated 7:19 a.m.

From the scene... both men, including one shot by police, are dead...

Update: Both men shot this morning after a dispute in the East Village are dead, said the NYPD. One was shot by police. @LindsayTuchman pic.twitter.com/OshVfW7zZs

— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) January 9, 2020

Updated 7:22 a.m.

According to NBC 4, two uniformed officers from the 9th Precinct who were patrolling Tompkins Square Park heard the gunshots around 3:30 a.m. and responded to the scene at the corner of Seventh and A.

That's where they found a man shooting at another man.

The officers engaged them and told the armed man to get on the ground. "It was then the officers fired approximately three times at the male, striking him," NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan told reporters.

Updated 7:26 a.m.

The press conference...

UPDATE: @NYPDChiefofDept and other NYPD executives provide an update on this morning’s police involved shooting in Lower Manhattan. The investigation is ongoing, all information is preliminary https://t.co/sWwYY7Reqi

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) January 9, 2020

Police Chief Terence Monahan said that the man police shot was on parole for a prior shooting for which he had served eight years in prison.

Updated 8:45 a.m.

Police released photos of the two weapons the men had in their possession.

This morning’s police-involved shooting is another example of the bravery demonstrated by NYPD officers every day. When two suspects shot at each other, our cops put themselves in harm’s way by running toward the danger.

Photos of the suspects’ guns, recovered at the scene: ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/f9HKRqppa4

— Commissioner Shea (@NYPDShea) January 9, 2020

Updated 10 a.m.
Steven shared these photos... taken at 8:50 a.m. and showing the ongoing investigation...



There are bullet casings on Avenue A...









Several businesses along Avenue A aren't able to open, including Starbucks at St. Mark's Place, which won't be open at all today, per a sign on the door...



Updated 1:30 p.m.

The Daily News has more on the two victims, Richard Reid and Earl Facey, gang members who did not know each other.

Sources said Reid, who lived in Brownsville, was a Crip with 14 arrests on his record. He had connections to two previous shooting, sources said. He was a person of interest in a March 31, 2019, non-fatal shooting in Bedford-Stuyvesant and was a witness in another shooting, also not fatal, on Jan. 3, 2017, on the Lower East Side.

Facey, a member of the Insane Gangsta Crips who lived in East Harlem, had an even worse record, sources said.

He had been arrested 21 times and served almost seven years in state prison for gun possession before he was paroled in August 2017. He was also considered a suspect in a Sept. 28, 2008 shooting in East Flatbush and a April 3, 2008, murder in Flatbush, sources said. Facey was also shot once before, in Crown Heights on May 1, 2004.

Updated 4 p.m.

Per the Post: Reid and Facey got into a fight inside the bar after the women they were with bumped into each other.

During the fracas, a bottle or glass of water was thrown, prompting a bouncer to boot all those involved out onto the street where Facey and Reid ultimately opened fire on each other, sources said.

Watch the NYPD drive against traffic and in the bike lane on Avenue A

You may have caught the beginning of the annual (25 plus years) "Isle of Manhattan" ride on New Year's Day ... as several dozen motorcyclists gathered on Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street and rolled up Avenue A as they began their lap around Manhattan.

The ride had the attention of the NYPD. In the video below, a member of the NYPD Highway Patrol is seen driving at a high rate of speed going the wrong way on Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street — eventually moving into the bike lane — while keeping tabs on the motorcycles...



In the YouTube description, participants claim they were harassed by the NYPD throughout the ride ...

This year, NYPD Highway decided to make a show of force. Marked and unmarked cars (ironically, no police motorcycles!) trailed the ride. Half way around Manhattan, the police set up a roadblock, and directed all motorcyclists to stop. The riders were 100% legal, law abiding, and wearing excellent protective gear. Nevertheless, our ride was disrupted by the police, and we were told "the ride is over" and "get off the highway and go home."

Suffice it to say, we did not. We are all adults, and serious people. Many of us are professionals, with kids and homes. We didn't break any laws. The US Constitution's First Amendment grants us the right to freedom of assembly. Without reasonable suspicion of any crime, it is a violation of our first amendment rights to harass us as the NYPD did.

If the police truly were interested in increasing motorcycle safety, they should engage in conversation with us – not set up roadblocks, which do nothing to improve safety, and only create a hostile atmosphere between riders and the police.

Police looking for suspect accused of taking $6,300 in jewelry from the Cure Thrift Shop

Via the EVG inbox..

The New York City Police Department is asking for the public's assistance identifying the male depicted in the attached photos wanted for questioning in connection to a grand larceny that occurred within the confines of the 9th Precinct. The following was reported to police:

On Thursday, November 14, 2019 at approximately 1400 hours, a unidentified individual did enter the Cure Thrift Shop located at 111 E. 12th St. and removed jewelry from over the counter as store clerk was helping other customers. The individual then fled the store on foot with property valued at approximately $6,375. There were no injuries reported as a result of this incident.

The individual is described as a male, Black, with a medium build and last seen wearing a red and blue jacket, dark-colored pants, dark-colored hat, tan boots and wearing eyeglasses.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online. All calls are strictly confidential.