Family Sues NYPD For Footage Of Son's Death

NEW YORK CITY — Antonio Williams' family just want to see the moment six police officers shot him dead.

Williams' family filed suit Wednesday demanding the NYPD hand over unedited footage of the night in September 2019 when police fatally shot Williams and Officer Brian Mulkeen, court records show.

“We want Mayor de Blasio and the NYPD to stop blocking access to the truth," said his father and stepmother, Antonio and Gladys Williams, in a joint statement. "It’s infuriating and unacceptable."

After the Sept. 29 shooting outside The Bronx's Edenwald Houses, police said Williams, 27, tried to pull a gun on cops, and pointed to recordings of an officer shouting "he's reaching for it" and a .32 caliber revolver found at the scene as proof.

But the family argues Williams ran simply because a group began to chase him down a dark street and that later-released NYPD footage was edited to back up police claims, said attorney Jonathan C. Moore.

“What we see in the video made available by the NYPD is a scripted and heavily edited version of what happened that led to the death of Mr. Williams," Moore said.

"If the NYPD has nothing to hide, it will immediately release all the video footage and other records and documents we are requesting."

The Williams family also wants NYPD records on how Williams's body was treated after his death, investigation notes, reports on Stop Question and Frisk and an explanation as to why police released the video publicly before allowing his family to see it.

Police spokesperson Detective Sophia Mason declined to comment on the case, stating, "NYPD will review the lawsuit if and when we are served."

The family, who filed their suit in New York Supreme Court, is also receiving support from Communities United for Police Reform activists, who called on the NYPD to release footage.

“All available information suggests that Antonio Williams was the victim of an unconstitutional NYPD stop and suffered deadly consequences," said spokesperson Loyda Colon.

"There is no indication that the NYPD had reasonable suspicion, or any specific legal justification, to stop Antonio Williams as he waited in the street for a cab."