Patrick Dorismond

Roughly one year after the Diallo shooting, Dorismond and a friend were approached by two undercover NYPD officers asking where they could buy marijuana. Dorismond was offended and became angry saying he was not a drug dealer. The officers state that Dorismond threw a punch at one officer while his friend attacked the other. The officer scuffling with Dorismond yelled “Get his gun” at which point the other officer drew his weapon and identified himself as a cop. Dorismond grabbed at the officer’s gun and it accidentally shot him in the chest. However, Dorismond’s friend says one of the officers was agressive and “in their face” and neither of them ever identified themselves as police officers. He also says that the cops, not Dorismond, threw the first punch. Dorismond died on the scene and neither of the officers were charged. Many felt that the acquittal of Diallo the year before gave license to NYPD to shoot unarmed suspects at will.