The following post was shared with the CopBlock Network by Matt Albert, via the CopBlock.org Submissions Page.
The post consists of a press release discussing a federal lawsuit that Mather Albert, the lawyer for Brooklyn resident Raven Garcia whose dog, “Macho,” was shot by the NYPD last year, has filed against the department. After officers let Macho out of Garcia’s house and without him posing any legitimate threat, Officer Abiola Errico shot him. That shooting was captured on video (included above) and shows that not only was Macho not a threat, but that the Errico endangered other people who were standing or walking in the area at the time.
The lawsuit also states that Garcia was subsequently held within a police car while NYPD officers illegally searched her residence. Garcia maintains in the lawsuit that this ransacking of her apartment was really an effort find something in order to justify the shooting of her dog. However, nothing illegal was found in her apartment.
A previous post on this incident by Ademo was published here at the CopBlock Network last year, shortly after it happened.
Date of Incident: February 5, 2015
Officer Involved: Officer Abiola Errico
Department Involved: NYPD; 83rd Precinct
Department Address: 480 Knickerbocker Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Department Phone No.: (718) 574-1605
Community Affairs No.: (718) 574-1697
Twitter Account: @NYPD83Pct
Facebook Page: 83rd Precint NYPD
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, December 21, 2016
CONTACT: Matt Albert, The Law Offices of Matthew Albert Esq.
(716) 445-4119 | [email protected]
FACEBOOK PAGE: Justice-4-Macho
Federal Claim Served Upon The NYPD For Shooting German Shepherd “Macho” in 2015
BUFFALO, NY – A Brooklyn dog owner has filed a Federal lawsuit relating back to an incident occurring on February 5, 2015 when her then 8 year-old German Shepherd, aka Macho, was shot by New York Police Department Officer Abiola Errico. Police were responding to a call on Bushwick Avenue about an allegedly unpaid taxi fare when they went to the home of resident Raven Garcia. The complaint, as supported by affidavits sworn to by neighbors who witnessed the incident, alleges that the police let the animal out as they entered Garcia’s apartment, and then Abiola shot the canine as he was calmly walking down the street.
The Officers refused to render aid to the injured animal, prompting a bystander and witness to call for help themselves. Garcia’s attorney, Buffalo based animal and civil rights attorney Matthew Albert, alleges that Garcia was then arrested and her home swarmed and searched by officers, in an effort to find drugs and somehow justify the shooting of Macho.
No contraband was found in Garcia’s home, and the criminal charges have since been dismissed against Garcia, paving the way for this Federal lawsuit to be commenced.
Aside from the lawsuit related to the shooting of Garcia’s companion animal, who has since recovered, Garcia also alleges that the NYPD continued to mistreat her by taking her into custody, dehydrating her, ridiculing her, and handcuffing her to a bench for a long period of time in frigid conditions while she only wore shorts and a tank top.
“This is a perfect example of the type of incident that has eroded the public’s faith in law enforcement,” said Albert. “The most benign of phone calls resulted in a dog being shot, and an entire platoon trying to cover up the brutal crime of a fellow Officer and then torturing an New York University graduate student and artist. The NYPD, and too many law enforcement officials in general, have a unique ability to escalate events so that everything ends in bloodshed. It’s disgraceful.”
– Matt Albert
Kelly is a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, who’s been very active in local grassroots activism, as well as on a national level during his extensive travels. He’s also the founder/main contributor of Nevada Cop Block, served as editor/contributor at CopBlock.org and designed the Official Cop Block Press Passes.
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