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Allegedly Armed 16-Yr-Old Shot By Police In Brooklyn, Teen's Relative Blames "Dummy Bullets"
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Feb 12, 2013
Modified Feb 12, 2013
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DCPI
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Feb 12, 2013
Modified Feb 12, 2013
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An allegedly armed teenager was shot multiple times by police officers on a rooftop in Brownsville last night. According to police, a sergeant and an officer responded to a call of shots fired on the roof of 2292 Atlantic Avenue at around 9:30 p.m. The officers say they saw 16-year-old Gino Mercado and 22-year-old James Capeles on an adjacent rooftop, and opened fire. Mercado was shot in both arms and his right ankle, Capeles was uninjured. Police say they found a Ruger revolver at the scene.
Mercado was transported to Brookdale Hospital in stable condition, and his injuries are not expected to be life-threatening. An NYPD spokesman could not say how many shots the officers fired in total, nor could he provide the charges against Mercado and Capeles, adding that a shooting briefing would be held later today. Both officers were treated for tinnitus, and per department policy, have been placed on a paid leave of absence until the shooting is investigated.
A relative of Mercado's told the Daily News that the two were shooting "dummy bullets" on the roof. “They were up on the roof shooting for fun. It wasn’t real bullets. It was dummy bullets. They were just shooting up in the air.”
Tagged
73rd precinct
brownsville
dummy bullets
gun violence
police involved shooting
shooting
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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