The NYPD is facing intense media scrutiny after surveillance video surfaced showing alleged use of excessive force in New York City (specifically, the Bed Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn). Shot without the officers’ knowledge, the video shows two officers approaching 16-year old Kahreem Tribble. One officer then takes a swing at the boy (with a closed fist). Tribble backs away, pinned against a security gate, when the second officer rushes in with his firearm drawn. Tribble raises his hands in a gesture of surrender but that doesn’t stop the second officer from smashing his gun into the young man’s mouth, shattering teeth.
The video then shows Tribble fall to the ground where he is struck yet again before being arrested.
The two officers in the video were later identified as Tyrane Isaac and David Afanador. Both are currently under criminal investigation by the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau and Brooklyn’s D.A. Ken Thompson. One officer was terminated from the police department while the other remains on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation.
This isn’t the first time these two officers have found themselves in trouble. Both men have twice before been accused of excessive force or police brutality in the past. However, a representative of the police officer’s union stated that the video failed to show the foot chase which led up to the incident and omits the fact that Tribble was found in possession of small amount of marijuana. Though in the face of the shocking video, chasing a suspect is hardly the reason to brutalize a 16 year old boy. While the youth may have committed a crime, the rule of law still prevails and does not justify the horrible mistreatment this youth received.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of excessive force, contact a New York police brutality lawyer immediately to discuss the legal options available to you. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn your rights.