Cop who fatally shot Bronx man Kawaski Trawick in 2019 faces NYPD trial

April 24, 2023
By Craig McCarthy
NEW YORK POST
Trawick was 32 years old.

The NYPD officer at the center of a deadly shooting in The Bronx four years ago will face a disciplinary trial on Monday.

Officer Brendan Thompson, along with his partner Herbert Davis, will be prosecuted by the Civilian Complaint Review Board on internal charges of excessive force, abuse of authority and failure to obtain medical treatment in the death of 32-year-old Kawaski Trawick.

The police watchdog in June 2021 found that Thompson’s deadly use of force in the encounter was not justified, ruling that he had used his Taser and gun improperly. It also found that Thompson and Davis had entered Trawick’s apartment improperly and failed to get the man medical attention after the shooting.

The NYPD has set aside five straight days in its internal courtroom at One Police Plaza for the trial, but the proceedings could wrap up earlier. 

After the trial ends, an NYPD judge will make disciplinary recommendations — up to termination — to Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, who has the final say in all internal punishment.

Both cops have been cleared of criminal wrongdoing by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office and have not faced disciplinary action by the NYPD.

The fatal incident unfolded on the night of April 14, 2019 after residents in Trawick’s building called 911 on their neighbor, who was walking the hallways with a stick and knife and then “acting erratically and threatening people” after locking himself out of his apartment.

By the time cops arrived, firefighters had helped him get back inside his apartment.

The officers banged on Trawick’s door and barged in after the door opened slightly, body camera video shows.

Trawick repeatedly asked why cops were in his apartment as the officers yelled for him to put down the bread knife he was holding, the footage shows.

Thompson then used his Taser on Trawick and eventually fired two rounds at the man, killing him.

Davis, a more senior member of the NYPD with 15 years on the job at the time, repeatedly told his partner not to use force.

Thompson had been with the NYPD for three years at the time of the shooting.

Trawick’s family has called for the cops to be fired over his death.

Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch said a lack of proper mental health services was to blame for the tragedy.

“Our police officers were thrust into a tragic situation they did not create. Social service and mental health providers were supposed to be caring for Mr. Trawick – they could have and should have intervened long before our police officers arrived at his door,” Lynch said. “But the anti-police advocates who are exploiting this tragedy aren’t talking about that, because they only have one agenda: when the rest of society fails, just blame the cops.”

Topics: Kawaski Trawick