Media Leaks Reveal Names Of Cops Who Shot Saheed Vassell

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — The father of Saheed Vassel, the Brooklyn man shot dead by police officers who mistakenly believed the pipe in his hand was a gun, is outraged it took a media leak to discover who killed his son.

“The investigation of the four officers who recklessly killed my son in a hail of at least 10 bullets in broad daylight is a sham,” said Eric Vassell. “We shouldn’t have to wait 16 weeks for media leaks to find out the names of the NYPD officers who murdered my son Saheed.”

On Friday evening, three 71st precinct police officers and one member of NYPD Special Operations were identified as the police officers involved in the April 4th shooting in reports from the New York Daily News and NY1.

The four officers have since remained on active duty, according to Vassell and reports.

Vassell, 34, who suffered from bipolar disorder, was shot near Montgomery Street and Utica Avenue after several people called 911 to report a man pointing what they believed to be a gun.

NYPD investigators ruled the officers' response to be justified one day after the shooting, when they released video of Vassell waving the pipe.

The ruling spurred outrage in the community who have continued to demand the NYPD release the names of the officers and uncut footage of Vassell’s death.

“My family shouldn’t have to keep waiting for the police department and Attorney General to complete their investigations when it took the police less than 24 hours to declare that my son’s killing was justified,” Vassell said.

The NYPD’s Force Investigations Division is conducting the investigation of Vassell’s death, according to the New York Daily News.

Photo by Kathleen Culliton