Kin of Cop Shooting Victim Mark Anniversary with Demands for Justice

By GABRIEL PARIENTE

Relatives of the victim of a police officer’s unintentional shooting in a housing complex stairwell last year demanded on Thursday that the officer be punished and other measures to salve the wounds of grief.

Relatives of the late Akai Gurley and their attorney Scott Rynecki marked what would have been Gurley’s 29th birthday with a press conference in Downtown Brooklyn, demanding swift justice and pursuing a civil case against the officer, the city of New York, and the New York City Housing Authority and looking forward to the start of the criminal trial.

“Today which would’ve been Akai’s 29th birthday, instead is a sad day for us and we just want justice,” said Kimberly Ballinger,Gurley’s domestic partner.

Gurley was an unarmed African-American who was shot by police last November in the stairwell of the Pink Houses apartment complex in East New York, Brooklyn. Rookie cop Peter Liang was indicted on second degree manslaughter charges, reckless endangerment, criminally negligent homicide and official misconduct. He claims his weapon accidentally discharged when he turned and saw Gurley opening the door to the 7th floor landing, fatally wounding him in the chest.

“We stand here remembering Akai, not only for me and Kimberly but for the whole family,” said Gurley’s aunt Hertencia Peterson.”We don’t want any other family to experience what we’ve gone through and thank the community for their continued support to get justice for Akai,”

Ballinger and her daughter Akalia Gurley traveled to Gurley’s grave in a New Jersey cemetery yesterday, only to discover that no headstone had been placed there despite the city promising they’d pay for one in addition to the funeral costs.

“We’re making calls to the city as far as why no headstone has been placed at the cemetery nearly one year later, and will continue till we get an answer,” said Rynecki.

For Ballinger, the lack of a headstone added to heartbreak of losing her lover and trying to explain matters to their daughter.

“It was an emotional time ’cause I had to explain she wouldn’t be able to see her dad, even though she would be visiting him,” she said.

Rynecki also announced a vigil at the Pink Houses complex next Friday to mark the anniversary of the shooting, and that the criminal trial for Liang would start on January 2.

A member of the press than asked Mrs. Ballinger if she would take her daughter to watch the trial.

“ I’ll be there, but not her,” she said, referring to the child.”Akai wouldn’t have wanted that.”