Photos and text by C. Harris-Lockwood
Galime promises transparency in his first test of leadership in UPD shooting death of teen. New York State Attorney General’s office to investigate deadly force incident.
UPD Press Release: On June 28th, 2024 at approximately 10:18PM Utica Police officers conducted a stop of two juveniles on the 900 block of Shaw St relative to a Police Investigation.
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Nearly 100 citizens, journalists and police packed the inner lobby of Utica’s City Hall on Saturday morning to attend the Mayor’s press conference addressing the shooting death of a thirteen year old Karen boy at the hands of the police. After Mayor Galime’s opening remarks, the press conference broke into chaos in the packed house once Police Chief Mark Williams stepped to the podium to deliver the official police account of the incident.
The charged crowd was mainly Karen, as was the slain teenager but, the other present and very vocal group were indigenous African Americans. ‘Death by police’ is a far too common a tragedy in the Black community. Institutional racism, Generational trauma and personal terror brought out the anger, defiance and he need of many vocal Blacks come to stand with the suffering immigrant community.
Chants like, “No Justice! No Peace!” and “We want Murder Charges” rang out from Black residents all too familiar with protesting violent police actions. Karen residents joined in the chants and picked up their own in growing anger and frustration. The room was loud and tense with emotion. Police were stationed throughout the space and the media was circled in the center.
One Karen protester shouted out that they didn’t flee political violence in Burma to come the US to be killed in the street by the police.
As the crowd’s voices continued to obstruct speakers, the Mayor finally abandoned the podium , crossed the floor with the translator and went directly to speak to the grieving parents. His was a father’s sympathy, saying that he “couldn’t imagine grieving their loss, that he would change it if he could; that there were no words to fix this. And that he is very sorry.”
Members of the family pressed the Mayor with repeated questions on the troubling police chase and shooting video that is being circulated on social media. Galime answered through the chants and shouts of complaints in the hall, all the time focusing his attention on the grieving family. He told them that he knows what the video looks like, that he has seen it; that as soon as it is legal to release the bodycam video, it will be shown to them in entirety. That the entire video should be reviewed not just the end of it.
Mayor Galime also explained through the interpreter that the New York State Attorney General’s office would be investigating the UPD for criminal findings of the shooting and that their Professional Standards unit would review the policies and procedures of the cops actions. All three officers involved in the incident are now on paid administrative leave.
It was noted that the City of Utica has been spared in recent years any cases of police misconduct or cases of abuse of power or police violence upon its citizens. Though one is too many, this alarming case is gratefully a unique circumstance in our city with the administration pledging transparency and justice.
