NEW YORK – The family of a man who was left permanently disabled after he was shot in the head in a fatal New Jersey road rage incident, allegedly by an off-duty New York City police officer, is suing filed a lawsuit against the city and the police department arguing that the officer was an alcoholic and a “time bomb” who should not have been carrying a department-issued weapon.
Officer Hieu Tran has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges stemming from the May 17 shooting of Kishan Patel, 30, while authorities say they were stopped at a light. traffic in Voorhees, New Jersey.
The shooting and ensuing crash left Patel a quadriplegic and requiring 24-hour care in a skilled nursing facility for the rest of his life, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court. Manhattan with Patel’s mother, Manjina Patel.
Prosecutors in Camden County, New Jersey, allege that Tran opened fire on Patel while they were both stopped at a red light. Surveillance footage showed that Patel’s car accelerated toward the intersection and hit other cars, injuring a woman in one of them.
Police responded and found Patel with a head injury.
Tran moved to his home in Yonkers, New York, and later showed up at his job at the New York Police Department’s communications office, prosecutors allege.
Investigators used surveillance video, cellphone records and ballistics evidence to identify Tran as the shooter, according to prosecutors. He was arrested on June 6 and is awaiting trial on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and possession of a weapon.
At a pretrial detention hearing in June, defense attorney Ross Gigliotti said a psychiatric examination found Tran, 27, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and a substance abuse problem. alcohol, and called the shooting an “aberration”.
Deputy Prosecutor Peter Gallagher called Tran a “ticking time bomb” and said there was “no doubt this was a one-off incident.”
The judge denied Tran bail.
According to the lawsuit, senior police officers knew that Tran, who should have been disqualified from serving as an armed officer, had alcoholism and mental health issues, but he still carried department-issued 9mm handgun he used to shoot Patel.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and names as defendants the city, the police department, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, former Police Commissioner Edward Caban and several unnamed law enforcement officials. name
Tran was suspended from the police department without pay following his arrest. A spokeswoman said the department would not comment on pending litigation.
Messages seeking comment were left with the New York City Law Department and Gigliotti, Tran’s attorney.
2024-10-03 02:05:23
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