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LI Cops Criticized For Killing Knife-Wielding Burglary Suspect
By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 31, 2011
Modified Aug 31, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 31, 2011
Modified Aug 31, 2011
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A 23-year-old Long Island man being investigated for a burglary was shot to death by police yesterday after he charged officers with a foot-long knife. Kurt Doerbecker was involved in a standoff with police when he refused to exit his parent’s waterfront home in Point Lookout to speak to them. He was shot several times after he advanced on an officer "in a threatening manner" and refused an order to drop the knife. But Doerbecker's family are upset with cops who they say were "overly agressive." “There were 60 cops and one young man. They shot him dead. He was running away from them," said David, Doerbecker’s older brother.
According to Det. Lt. Kevin Smith, the trouble all began late Monday night after Doerbecker had been ejected from a South Shore bar twice; he returned a third time and allegedly made threats, which is when someone at the bar called cops. Then, Doerbecker broke into a neighboring home in a mask, apparently carrying a sharp object, and confronted the homeowner, who was able to shoo him away without incident.
When police eventually tracked Doerbecker to his parent's home, he refused to speak to them; police said that at least 20 officers initially responded and surrounded the house. Just after midnight, he tried to escape from the back window of the home, which is when cops say he advanced on them with the 12-inch carving knife. At least three shots were fired at Doerbecker.
Doerbecker's father, who was there at the time of the shooting, said officers were "dressed for heavy combat," and accused cops of violating their rights. His mother said, "They had nothing against him except that they wanted to talk to him. I don't know what fear they put into him in the past that he didn't want to talk to police. All he was doing was trying to run away and be safe, and they just shot him in the back."
Tagged
burglar
cops
knife
long island
police
suspect
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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