NYPD Opens Fire on Unarmed Man, Hit Bystanders, DA Charges Suspect with the Shootings

10 Jun, 2014 by Duane Lester

So a man who claims to have been hearing voices and was suicidal walked out into traffic and attracted a crowd. : The NYPD responded and ended up shooting at the guy, hitting a few folks the crowd.

The suspect ended up with the charges.

This is some legal gymnastics right here:

The man, Glenn Broadnax, 35, of Brooklyn, created a disturbance on Sept. 14, wading into traffic at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue and throwing himself into the path of oncoming cars.

A curious crowd grew. Police officers arrived and tried to corral Mr. Broadnax, a 250-pound man. When he reached into his pants pocket, two officers, who, the police said, thought he was pulling a gun, opened fire, missing Mr. Broadnax, but hitting two nearby women. Finally, a police sergeant knocked Mr. Broadnax down with a Taser. …

Initially Mr. Broadnax was arrested on misdemeanor charges of menacing, drug possession and resisting arrest. But the Manhattan district attorney’s office persuaded a grand jury to charge Mr. Broadnax with assault, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 25 years. Specifically, the nine-count indictment unsealed on Wednesday said Mr. Broadnax “recklessly engaged in conduct which created a grave risk of death.”

“The defendant is the one that created the situation that injured innocent bystanders,” said an assistant district attorney, Shannon Lucey.

I have my own thoughts, such as, why did someone use a gun when Tasers were clearly available?

Doesn’t that put the fault on the police?

What do you think?