Off-duty NYPD officer Wayne Isaacs has been indicted on murder and manslaughter charges for the shooting of Delrawn Small.
Small was killed in July when, according to his girlfriend, he thought he was cut off at a Brooklyn intersection by Isaacs. When he got out of his car at a stoplight and approached Issacs in his car, the off-duty officer shot him from behind the wheel.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest in hair, beauty, style and celebrity news.
According to NBC 4 New York, surveillance footage shows Small getting shot the instant he reached Isaacs vehicle. Initially police had said Small had punched Isaacs before discharging his weapon.
A Brooklyn grand jury delivered the indictment following an investigation by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
In efforts to strengthen police and community relations in New York City by holding officers accountable for unlawful actions, president of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association (MBBA), Paula Edgar tells ESSENCE, “This incident is a continuation of the increased number of police involved shootings of unarmed Black citizens and once again, the existence of camera footage was critical to shining additional light on the incident.”
“The MBBA supports the appointment of Special Prosecutors in police involved shootings of unarmed civilians, as was the case here,” says Edgar. “We will be discussing other proposed legislation and initiatives in upcoming meetings with the NYPD and elected officials to foster better relations between the police and the communities they serve.”
Isaacs is the first police officer to be charged by Schneiderman since he was assigned as special prosecutor by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the wake of Eric Garner’s chokehold killing.