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Family Of Delrawn Small To Host Midnight Vigil On Year Anniversary Of Fatal Shooting By Off-Duty Cop

By

Emma Whitford

Published Jul 3, 2017

Modified Jul 3, 2017

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Delrawn Small's newphew Zayanahla Vines, 22, leads a march of protesters through Manhattan six days after Small was shot and killed by off-duty NYPD officer Wayne Isaacs.

 

Scott Heins / Gothamist

By

Emma Whitford

Published Jul 3, 2017

Modified Jul 3, 2017

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One year ago tomorrow, 37-year-old Delrawn Small of Brooklyn was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer during an apparent road rage incident. The father of three died within days of two other black men who were killed by police officers—Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana—prompting nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism. On Monday night, Small's family will hold a candlelight vigil at the East New York intersection where NYPD Officer Wayne Isaacs drew his gun.

Mourners will gather at East New York Success Garden at 449 Williams Avenue at midnight Monday and walk roughly 20 minutes north to the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Bradford Street.

Isaacs was charged with fatally shooting Small. He is the first police officer to be charged by State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in his role as Special Prosecutor in police-killing cases.

"I miss everything," Small's younger brother, Victor Dempsey, told reporters last month. "I miss just him being here. But most of all, I miss him showing me how to be a man at times."

Small was in a car with his girlfriend and two young children the night of the shooting. Isaacs was driving home from his shift at the 79th Precinct when the altercation took place. Small allegedly exited his vehicle and approached Isaacs, who was seated in the driver's seat when he shot Small.

Isaacs was charged with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter last September, after being stripped of his gun and badge. Police initially said that Isaacs reported being punched through his open car window before shooting Small three times. However, surveillance footage from the scene appears to show Small falling back moments after approaching Isaacs's car.

Dempsey said his brother's death has taken a toll on Small's three children: 18-year-old Sha-riah, 16-year-old Shondell, and the youngest, 1-year-old Zaiden.

"They're being forced to be adults really quickly," he said. "That's not the kind of life you want for your children."

Last July 7th, a vigil for Small doubled as a protest demonstration with over 100 mourners blocking traffic on Atlantic Avenue.

The next hearing in Isaacs's case is set for September 13th. A trail is expected in October.

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Emma Whitford

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