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NYPD Withholds Video Evidence From Family Of Japanese Student Killed By NYPD Car
By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 12, 2013
Modified Mar 13, 2013
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By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 12, 2013
Modified Mar 13, 2013
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The NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating officers' role in the death of a Japanese student who was fatally struck by an NYPD car in Queensbridge last month, according to a lawyer representing the student's family. Ryo Oyamada was not in the intersection when he was run over around 12:45 a.m. on February 21st; he was crossing 40th Avenue near the intersection with 10th Street when he was killed. In the police report, the NYPD said the vehicle had its "emergency lights activated," but several witnesses have contradicted the NYPD and insist the emergency lights were not activated.
In an interview with Japan Times, Oyamada’s father said that during a personal briefing with the NYPD, he was told "the cruiser had been responding to reports of a man wielding a knife in the area. To avoid alerting the suspect, the vehicle was approaching without using its flashing lights or siren when it stuck and killed Oyamada." The NYPD officially denies this, and in a meeting with community members earlier this month, an officer claimed security video from nearby public housing confirmed the vehicles lights were on.
But one witness told us, "They didn't put sirens on until two more patrol cars put on their sirens. There were no overhead lights on, none." A second witness told a Japanese TV program the same thing. And a third witness told the Oyamada family's attorney that the flashing lights were off. According to lawyer Jeffrey Kim, this witness believes the vehicle was speeding in excess of 70 mph. (The NYPD told the Oyamadas that the vehicle was traveling 35 to 39 mph.)
Yesterday, Oyamada's sister sent a letter (below) to Mayor Bloomberg demanding answers. The family is outraged by an NYPD officer's "crudeness and insincerity" when they met with him. They are also calling on the NYPD to let them view the surveillance footage. To be sure, this isn't the first time the NYPD has offended and kept evidence from grieving relatives. Last year the parents of killed cyclist Mathieu Lefevre (who are also non-U.S. citizens) successfully sued the NYPD to obtain surveillance video that contradicted what investigators had told them.
A spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg did not respond to a request for comment. The NYPD has not responded to multiple requests for comment. Here is the letter sent to Bloomberg yesterday:
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John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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