The family of Queens teenager Win Rozario filed a lawsuit against the New York Police Department (NYPD) over the fatal shooting of the 19-year-old last year.
The suit accuses officers of the NYPD of botching the response and their colleagues of mistreating the family after the incident. The court papers filed charges against officers Matthew Cianfrocco and Salvator Alongi for allegedly escalating the situation rapidly.
Rozario Family Sues New York Police Department
This was contrary to standard protocol whenever officers were dealing with people who were in mental distress, which Rozario was. The incident happened while his mother, Notan Eva Costa, and his younger brother, Utsho Rozario, tried to calm the situation.
The teenager was fatally shot within two minutes of officers entering the family's home while responding to a 911 call of a person acting erratically. The latter was later discovered to be Rozario himself behaving unpredictably.
The lawsuit noted that the defendant officers' quick resort to the use of force, repeated and loud shouting, and aggressive actions were the factors that made the situation worse. The family believes that these only made the teenager fear for his life, according to The City.
It also alleges that the police response to the situation was part of a wider pattern of the department's inability to safely handle cases of people who are in mental distress. It argues that there have been 20 similar incidents in the past decade that ended with police in New York City killing the person who needed their assistance.
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry explained that the 19-year-old's case highlights the difficult situation that law enforcement personnel have to deal with when responding to some emergency calls on the job.
Failing to Help Teen in Mental Distress
In a statement released by attorneys, the family said that it has been a year since the two officers named in the lawsuit murdered the 19-year-old, noting that justice has not been served, AMNY reported.
They added that Cianfrocco and Alongi were responsible for creating a crisis that escalated further and further until they gunned down Rozario. The incident sparked many protests throughout Queens as well as criticism of the NYPD, which is accused of not holding the officers involved accountable for their actions.
Advocates for improved handling of mental health incidents by police have repeatedly cited Rozario's case as one prime example of the department's shortcomings in this particular area. Previously, the NYPD said that the shooting was being investigated by the Force Investigation Division, as per Hoodline.
