Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons

A Columbia student fell to her death from her dorm last night in what was originally reported as an accident but is now being treated as a possible suicide. Martha Corey-Ochoa, who was 18-years-old, fell from her 14th floor dorm around 11 p.m., reports Gothamist. The freshman’s dorm was on 114th Street in Manhattan. Columbia’s dean, Kevin Shollenberger, emailed students to offer his condolences, according to Gothamist.

A witness told the New York Post people filled W. 114th Street shortly after the incident, and CPR was performed, but Corey-Ochoa later died at the hospital.  The Daily News reported police were treating the death as a suicide, because of “a history of psychiatric problems.” At this time, reports of suicide are unconfirmed.

In an article published last fall on Patch.com, Corey-Ochoa was depicted as academically hard-working. Gothamist reports Columbia’s school year has not yet begun, but freshman orientation started yesterday.

—Alissa Fleck

Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons

By Alissa Fleck

By now everyone in the City has heard about the shooting by the NYPD of a knife-wielding man in Times Square this weekend. After the incident, officers did what they could to control the flow of information, reported Gothamist, including seizing onlookers’ phones and cameras. Despite their best efforts, tons of witnesses were on the street capturing the chaos, and video footage which did make it to the internet shows throngs of police officers pursuing the man, who is practically dancing down the street.

Was the NYPD’s reaction—the fatal shooting—overly extreme in taking down the deranged man?

The family of Darius Kennedy, the knife-carrying victim, says the police used excessive force when they shot him. The Daily News reports Kennedy’s aunt said 12 bullets should not have been used to subdue him, perhaps just one as a warning. NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly called the shooting “justified and appropriate,” and Mayor Bloomberg backed up Kelly’s assessment. Officers had already pepper-sprayed Kennedy, who had ten prior arrests on his record, six times to no avail. The NY Post reports none of the 20 cops in pursuit of the man had tasers in their possession.

Police Reporter Leonard Levitt called the shooting “Totally justified.”

“If any bystander or even a cop was wounded because the cops held back, there’d be hell to pay,” said Levitt. “Only question: how come they didnt use a taser?”

NYPD Spokesman Paul Browne said: “Only patrol sergeants and Emergency Service Unit cops are routinely armed with tasers.”

The Daily News reports the NYPD fatally shot eight people last year, and only uses deadly force “sparingly” according to police officials.

McCarren Park Pool Pre-Renovation Courtesy of Wiki Commons

At this point, the surprise at seeing Greenpoint’s McCarren Park Pool linked to aggression in the headlines has seriously worn off. At the risk of downplaying the gravity of the violence, the pool is becoming something of a sitting duck.

(by Alissa Fleck)

On Tuesday, police actually required backup to deal with chaos at the notorious pool, as sweltering temperatures got tempers flaring. A witness told the Daily News he felt “in the air” something bad was going to happen, but it sounds like rowdy young adults were the only thing in the air yesterday. The entire situation erupted over backflips and people being thrown in the pool, Gothamist reports.

After lifeguards—probably not paid nearly enough—attempted to close down the pool Tuesday when reprimands fell on deaf ears, some pool-goers resisted commands to vacate and decided to jump back in anyway, reports Gothamist. Police had to tackle aggressors to the ground amid sprinklers, in what sounds like—again, not to downplay the peril—a comical scene. The cops deployed pepper spray on aggressive pool-goers. Three men were arrested in total, one for assaulting an officer, and two for disorderly conduct.

Gothamist reports one woman’s reaction to the frenzy outside the pool: “I’m done with this pool, it’s too much. I’m never coming back here,” she said. This follows a long string of troubling incidents at the pool this summer, including brawls, robberies and defecation.

According to the NYC Government website, “[McCarren Park] pool was closed in 1984 after the facility, suffering from vandalism and an alleged drug haven, became too dilapidated. $6.5 million in funding to renovate the facility was included in the 1984-85 budget, but plans stalled after neighbors successfully stopped the project, worried that illicit activity would return.”

Apparently the negatively reputed site is just cursed with bad luck, as it seems you’re more likely to witness violence and horror than not on any given day. The NYPD has nevertheless reported everyone is safe at the pool, saying there are always many cops present.

Mitt Romney. Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney appeared at three private fundraising events in the Hamptons this past weekend, raising a total of approximately $3 million, and causing quite a stir among protesters. Billionaire David Koch hosted one of these notable fundraisers at his shorefront home, reports ABC News. Oil tycoon Koch has come to be known as half of the billionaire brother duo dominating conservative fundraising.

Koch’s event was tightly secured, according to ABC, as about 150 protesters showed up to express their disgust. Occupy Wall Street and MoveOn.org supporters were among protesters who made an appearance. Protesters, who could reportedly barely see the estate from where they were permitted to stand, held signs rejecting “corporate personhood” and the price of a ticket to the event ($75,000 per couple). They stood barefoot on the beach holding signs, sailing “protest boats,” flying a small plane and singing the Star-Spangled Banner.

Those who showed up to condemn contamination of the electoral process through such fundraising means called the gathering a success, saying they took the message where it mattered.

The Daily News reports Obama cancelled a vacation in Martha’s Vineyard this year, so as to not appear to be “hanging with the billionaires” and alienate those who oppose such displays of wealth.

According to the New York Times: “Tucked into the Southampton dunes, Mr. Koch’s home is valued at about $18 million by the real estate Web site Zillow, which reports that it has seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms. Its backyard is the sea.”

—Alissa Fleck

Officer Brian J. Groves (Photo Courtesy of NYPD)

Officer Brian Groves was shot around 3:40 a.m. Thursday during a routine patrol on the Lower East Side (7th precinct). Groves swung open a stairwell door of the Essex St. building when he saw the suspect carrying a pistol, reports the New York Times. The suspect fled down the stairs, but turned back to fire on the officer. Groves returned fire before realizing he had been shot near the heart. Groves was saved by his bulletproof vest, and is expected to fully recover, reports the Times. 

(by Alissa Fleck)

At the time of the shooting, Officer Groves, 30, and his partner were performing a “vertical patrol,” or a sweep through a building starting at the top and ending at the bottom floor.

Police Commisioner Raymond W. Kelly said in a statement: “The vertical patrol that [Groves] and his partner engaged in is a common, proactive police practice to give some measure of safety to residents of public housing.” He provided the statistic: “approximately four percent of the city’s population resides in public housing, but it experiences about 20% of all violent crime.”

The shooting took place between the 18th and 19th floors after the officers began to pursue the man. Groves dropped near the 15th floor, and the gunman escaped. It’s unclear whether the gunman was shot. The building, part of the Seward Park House complex, was of particular interest because of reports involving narcotics.

According to the Seward Park House Cooperative website, the complex was operated for over thirty years as a limited-equity cooperative, allowing it to receive tax subsidies for keeping the price of apartments at below market rates. They now sell at market rate.

Police Officer Groves's Vest (Photo Courtesy of NYPD)

Thursday afternoon the surrounding area was cordoned off with police tape. Officers said it would be closed at least for the day.

One MTA worker at the Delancey/Essex St. subway stop said: “I feel safe, but the community is not safe. The Chase Manhattan Bank [at the corner of Delancey & Essex] has been robbed twice. It’s not safe for police officers, it’s not safe for anyone.”

Jeff Andrews, a resident of the area, said it was the first time he had seen anything like this in the neighborhood. “This is a big thing,” said Andrews, a three year resident of the neighborhood. “It looks like world war three over there.”

Andrews also said he thought police had been overreacting to such incidents ever since 9/11. “The guy didn’t even get shot,” said Andrews, “now they’re going through every single apartment with no warrant. They’ve been here since 2:30 [a.m.].” Andrews indicated the long line of police vans in front of the housing complex.

When asked if the incident made him feel any less safe, Andrews said: “I guess something’s gotta happen sooner or later.”

Another resident of the area, Mike Duvall, said he had been living nearby for 22 years. Duvall said the incident “doesn’t change anything” and he still “absolutely feel[s] safe.” Duvall said a recent incident involving teenage boys with guns nearby made him feel more unsafe.

A man standing outside a psychic/tarot card shop near the intersection of Delancey and Essex Sts. gave the name Steve and said he was married to the psychic who worked there. He said he has lived nearby for four years.

“I love it,” he said of the area. He said he feels no less safe after the shooting. Steve also said he has not heard about similar violence in the area. “This is the first time in four years it’s been so close,” he said.

A construction worker who had been working nearby for months also said he felt no less safe after the shooting.

Officer Groves is the ninth police officer shot on duty this year. As of Thursday afternoon, police were still looking for the suspect, described according to Kelly as “a black male in his 20s, about 5-foot-9, thin build, with his hair braided in corn rows, and wearing a black T-shirt with red basketball shorts with beige stripes.”

He was not too happy about it.

But when we reached him on Friday, Barron was looking toward the future and throwing a few jabs at the city’s political establishment.

City & State: How are you doing and how did the election go?

Charles Barron: We’re riding high. We were up against an alignment of unprecedented forces in the annals of New York State politics. I don’t think a candidate has ever faced a presidential photo-op during a Democratic primary. [Jeffries] even reduced the governor to a robocall in a Democratic primary.

I’m talking about the President, the Governor, two state senators, the city council speaker assigning staff people to his campaign, two borough presidents, two county leaders – these are powerful people. A lineup of assembly people, a line up of state senators.

All for me. It turned into a “Stop Barron” campaign. The New York Times endorsed him, the Daily News, the Wall Street Journal endorsed him. Crains. The Observer. The only way the New York Post helped me is by endorsing my opponent.

CS: Was all this about Jeffries or was this about you?

CB: It wasn’t focused on him. They could have done this with Donald Duck and won. Have you ever been involve din a campaign with that kind of alignment. Why? They called me a monster, a racist, a bigot, a malignant clown. I joined a press conference about the congressional redistricting to speak out against the new lines. It wasn’t in my interest to have Jeffries’s own assembly district in there. And he even sent out a mailer with Daily News saying I was a malignant clown

CS: Any positives from the campaign?

CB: In spite of all of that, with just $100,000 and 200 dedicated souls volunteering, we got 10,000 votes. We’re going to continue to build this movement. We’re going to run other candidates. We’re going to continue to build the Freedom Party and we’re going to continue to use running in democratic parties to get access to power.

CS: Why did you vote no on yesterday’s City Council budget?

CB: When I first came into Council in 2001 there were 83,000 summer employment jobs. Now there are a mere 31,000 slots. And over 140,000 youth will apply for these slots. We’re in for a long hot summer. There’s a $65-billion budget. And there’s that money from the Citytime settlement. You’re telling me you couldn’t squeeze out a few million to keep our youths off the streets?

CS: What’s next for you? Are you thinking about Albany and who your replacement will be?

CB: My future is bright and I’m going to make voice louder than ever and continue the movement for justice, liberation, economic emancipation and peace abroad. I haven’t been looking at [William Boyland Jr.’s seat]. Yes I would be very strong for that, but that’s something I am not looking at right now.

As for East New York, I want to maintain the city council seat, and get someone in our ranks to take my place.

To read the full interview click here.

Williams with his family. Photo by Jon Lentz.

Clyde Williams, a candidate for the new 13^th Congressional District who has been overshadowed by incumbent Rep. Charlie Rangel and another challenger, State Sen. Adriano Espaillat, cast his vote in the Democratic primary this morning in Harlem.

After voting, Williams said he was confident he could come from behind and win today’s primary, pointing to late endorsements from the New York Times and the Daily News, a well-funded get-out-the-vote operation, and voters who want change.

“We’ve gotten many more volunteers of the last few weeks,” he said. “We’ve also had more people who have showed an overall interest in my candidacy, and more than anything else I think we are resonating because people realize we talk about issues.”

He said his campaign has “hundreds of people” out today at polls, driving vehicles, making calls and boosting his visibility. He said he didn’t have any target numbers for turnout, but that his campaign already knocked on more than 38,000 doors and reached at least 188,000 people.

“We’re going to continue what we’ve been doing, which is running a race based on actual numbers and making sure we get these people out to vote,” he said. “There’s definitely a desire for change. We hear that everywhere we go. … I think the only person who offers real change in this race is me.”

But he said it would be a challenge facing two strong candidates who are already in elected office – Rangel and Espaillat – even with a fundraising advantage in the race.

To read the full article at City & State click here.

A makeshift memorial outside of Ramarley Graham's former home. Photo by Hobo Mat, courtesy of Flickr Commons.

Four-year NYPD veteran Richard Haste is being indicted on manslaughter charges after fatally shooting an unarmed teenager in the boy’s Bronx home. Haste is expected to turn himself in to the Bronx district attorney’s office tomorrow following the grand jury’s decision, the Daily News reports.

In early February, Haste followed the victim, Ramarley Graham, into his home on a drug pursuit. The officer alleged he thought Graham had a gun, though the teen was found to be unarmed with only a bag of marijuana near his deceased body. Officers claimed they told 18-year-old Graham to stop before he ran into his home and apparently attempted to flush the drugs. Once inside the home, Haste shot the teen at point-blank range in front of Graham’s grandmother and 6-year-old brother. Surveillance footage revealed Graham in fact walked into his home while the officers attempted to kick down the door, says the Daily News.

Graham’s grandmother, Patricia Hartley, said the police never identified themselves to her grandson. Some are blaming this violent act on the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk program; after the shooting street protests broke out in the teen’s neighborhood.

Also following the shooting, it was revealed Haste had never received training as part of a street narcotics enforcement team. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has since ordered that all cops must undergo the necessary training before partaking in a street narcotics unit.

Reverend Al Sharpton has reportedly stood by Graham’s family during this tragedy. He issued a statement calling for  justice to be “fairly and impartially administered.” Graham’s lawyer told the Daily News the whole family intends to be at Haste’s arraignment, calling this a clear-cut case of excessive violence.

Haste was placed on desk duty in the shooting’s aftermath, and will now be suspended without pay.

Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch issued a press release, standing by Haste, following the indictment. “Several members of the officer’s team had confirmed the presence of a gun and that constituted a grave danger to the officers and the community,” said Lynch. “We believe that this officer will be exonerated at trial.”

—Alissa Fleck

NYPD - photo by scoutnurse

It was a hairy situation on Friday.

Fishel Litzman, a Hasidic NYPD recruit, just a few weeks away from finishing his training, was forced to leave the police academy on Friday because his beard was too long, the Daily News reports.

Litzman cites religion for why he refuses to trim his beard to the NYPD’s required length, and does not see how the length of his facial hair could affect his performance on the job.

He might not agree, but the NYPD clearly states that all officers must be clean-shaven.

In a statement released by the NYPD, their chief spokesman, Paul Browne, addressed Litzman and the confrontation between the two parties.

“The NYPD makes reasonable accommodations in this regard, permitting beards to be 1 (millimeter) in length for religious purposes,” Browne said.

The police department did not give Litzman an explicit reason for his termination, but also reported that Litzman was achieving high test scores while in the academy. In his last three tests, Litzman scored a 96, 99, and 100, the Daily News reported.

Sources said that the long beard does pose a hazard, though, the Daily News said. According to that report, the beard compromises the safety of the masks used in counter-terrorism training.

Litzman and his attorney, Nathan Lewin, are planning to hold a religious discrimination lawsuit against the police department, the Huffington Post reported.

The fuzz don’t like fuzz.