Justice for Kawaski Trawick

On April 14, 2019, 32-year-old Kawaski Trawick, a Black queer man, was locked out of his apartment at Hill House in the Bronx. The fire department let him into his apartment. By the time NYPD officers Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis arrived, Kawaski was already back in his apartment cooking. Officer Davis broke the chain off his door to illegally gain entry into his home. Kawaski asked the officers, “Why are you in my home?” and told them, “I’m cooking.” The officers repeatedly escalated the incident. Thompson and Davis shouted orders at him and refused to answer Kawaski’s questions. Thompson tased him without cause and then shot and killed Kawaski within 112 seconds of their arrival.

The NYPD sensationalized that Kawaski was holding a bread knife to justify shooting him; however, he held a knife because he was cooking in his home. Only one officer, Brendan Thompson, had his body-worn camera. The NYPD refused to release complete, unedited footage of the incident for almost two years – only releasing unedited footage to a legal organization, following a FOIL request. In December 2020, the NYPD released a selectively edited and incomplete video of the killing. Officers on the scene can be heard saying, “Nobody, just a perp” immediately after Kawaski’s killing in response to an officer asking if anyone was injured. It is also clear from footage that Thompson and Davis did not directly provide care to Kawaski after he was shot.

In April 2021, it was made public through a ProPublica report that the NYPD found “no wrongdoing” n the NYPD killing of Kawaski Trawick. Kawaski’s family found out about the refusal to discipline Thompson and Davis through the news media.

WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES

The CCRB substantiated charges against officer Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis including abuse of authority for entering Kawaski’s home, failing to obtain medical treatment, use of force against Kawaski, and pointing and firing a gun at Kawaski.  The family is calling on the NYPD to immediately schedule disciplinary trials for the officers.

Help uplift the demands of Kawaski’s Family: 

  • Demand the NYPD schedule the discipline trials for NYPD Officers Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis. 
  • Demand the Mayor and the NYPD fire Officers Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis

News on Kawaski Trawick

STATEMENT: Families of New Yorkers Killed by NYPD Call on Mayor to Sign Police Transparency Legislation

Today, 18 family members of New Yorkers killed by the NYPD sent a letter to Mayor Adams urging him to sign the recently passed How Many Stops Act (HMSA). The City Council passed this foundational police transparency legislation on Wednesday with a veto-proof majority.

Families of Loved Ones Killed By NYPD, Elected Officials, and Community Groups Denounce Intentional Delays That Help Cops that Kill Evade Discipline

17 families of New Yorkers Killed by NYPD and over 50 national and local groups send letter to Mayor Adams & NYPD Commissioner Caban, calling for firing of cops who killed Kawaski Trawick and for the Mayor to meet with the Trawicks before discipline decision - 

Today, the families of Kawaski Trawick, Allan Feliz, Delrawn Small and Antonio Williams, along with elected officials,

Statement: Ellen Trawick, mother of Kawaski Trawick, Responds to Mayor Adams’ Refusal to Meet with Her Family Before Discipline Decision for Cops who Killed Her Son

Today, Mayor Adams held a media availability where he was asked for the second week in a row about the NYPD delays in turning over body camera footage, that blocked the CCRB from fully investigating the killing of Kawaski Trawick for 21 months. The mayor was also asked if he would accommodate Kawaski Trawick's family's demand to meet with them and their team before a final decision is made regarding discipline of the officers who killed Mr. Trawick in 2019.

 
SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

#KawaskiTrawick

#FireThompsonandDavis
______________________________

 

_____________________________