A grand jury ruled the fatal police shooting of unarmed 19-year-old Timothy Stansbury Jr. in Brooklyn accidental, raising debate about police use of force.
Key Facts
- Victim
- Timothy Stansbury Jr., 19 years old
- Officer involved
- NYPD Officer Richard S. Neri Jr.
- Location
- Rooftop, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
- Time of incident
- Approximately 1:00 a.m.
- Weapon used
- Standard Glock 19 pistol
- Grand jury finding
- Shooting ruled accidental
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
NYPD Officer Richard S. Neri Jr. and a partner were conducting a rooftop patrol of a housing project in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, in the early hours of January 24, 2004. Neri drew his weapon and approached a rooftop door to check the stairway inside.
As Neri reached the rooftop door with his gun drawn, Timothy Stansbury Jr., an unarmed 19-year-old resident of an adjoining building, pushed the door open from the other side. Neri testified that he fired his Glock 19 unintentionally when startled, striking Stansbury once in the chest and killing him.
A Brooklyn grand jury reviewed the circumstances and determined the shooting was accidental, declining to indict Officer Neri. The case drew public attention to questions surrounding unintentional police discharges, use-of-force protocols, and accountability within the NYPD.