No Criminal Charges On Fatal Cop-on-Cop Shooting

Omar Edwards and son

A grand jury has voted not to indict an NYPD officer who fatally shot another officer chasing a thief through Harlem one rainy night at the end of May. Omar Edwards had just finished his shift and was not in uniform when he found a man breaking into his car. After a scuffle, he gave chase with his gun drawn, but was intercepted by plainclothes officer Andrew Dunton, who ordered him to drop his weapon. Edwards was fatally shot as he turned to face Dunton, and there are conflicting witness accounts as to whether Edwards identified himself as NYPD.

Dunton is white and Edwards was black, so the tragic incident struck a nerve with community activisits, black cops, and some officials, including Governor Paterson, who called upon the NYPD to improve training to prevent friendly fire situations. (The NYPD later starting showing a ten-year-old training video about friendly fire at roll call.)

Dunton, who has been in administrative duty since the shooting, may still face an internal Police Department review that could lead to disciplinary action. Earlier this month Edwards's mother lashed out at investigators and officials for handling the case poorly, telling NY1, "If this was Omar Edwards who shot—whatever his name is—Dunton, Omar Edwards would be sitting in jail right now waiting to be tried for murder. I would like to see him go to jail. He is going to go out and do the same thing again."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on August 13, 2009 2:36 PM

Comments [rss]

just saying

Why is the NYPD using white plainclothes cops in Harlem?

Do they really think the residents don't see through this ruse?

Tpooh2

I hoped this wouldn't turn into a race thing :-(

People need to see the bigger picture...another mother has a bury a son. Another wife has explain to her child why daddy isn't going to come home anymore..

Ahh...this is tragic...there has been too many deaths. First the Taconic, then the plane/heli crash in the Hudson, now this. I know he died in the end of May...its still very sad.

Dead Himmler

The way I look at it is that when people die in general it is very sad but at least it hepls with reducing global warming. Less people equal less carbon foot print.

Tpooh2

Well...thats one way to look at it...

I guess to each his own, eh?

Bernie Goetz for Mayor

It's been said that a prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich. The fact that this grand jury decided NOT to indict shows there is strong evidence to conclude this was a justifiable shooting. The grand jury (for once) got it right.

Vatalya

This is so sad!

silver

The blue wall of silence has no color.

valeriob

How outdated is this video tape they're showing now?

Don't even get me started on the typewriters thing again.

FunChop

I'm starting to supsect that Felix is actually a staff member of Gothamist, whose sole purpose is to troll for reactions to his stoopid comments, thus driving the page views up.

felixthecat2

Your racism is outdated and all your racist comments posted are in this link. Shame on your ignorance. Get lost troll.

http://gothamist.com/2009/08/12/one_arrest_made_in_brutal_beating_o.php

whitecastlerock

If one were to sift through the steaming morass known as your replies, they would find a multitude of misogynist, homophobic and racist rants. Many of these are directed towards Christine Quinn, Michael Vick, the "ghetto trash"(your phrase not mine) that incinerated a kitten and fellow commenters you accuse of "riding your dick" when they disagree with you. While you are up in your ivory tower judging others for their actions and or words, please remember that you are no better than them. You filter your hate speech in different ways-a smorgasbord of contempt directed at those you disagree with.

felixthecat2

WHITEcastle, i don't give a fuck what you think so why don't you stop thinking about me so much. a person that burns a kitten is ghetto trash and that is not racist but a fact. now STFU

whitecastlerock

WHITEcastle refers to the fast food restaurant... I will continue to shout down your racist, homophobic, two faced rants. Now let someone else at the library use the computers.

valeriob

JDS How is this clown's username still active?

nicemarmot

Cuz he drives up page views getting yall back here to comment, what do you think?

JacqueMehoff

no kidding, I just popped in the other thread, holy cow 86 comments.

Rocknrope

You all can circle jerk with your "racist/non-racist" comments all you like.

I see a beautiful young boy who has to grow up without his father.

Dead Himmler

This is really not the time to be sarcastic.

valeriob

agreed

JacqueMehoff

I also see this will happen again to another father, brother, son...

nicemarmot

Can we please teach our cops that "shoot first, pump more bullets into the body later" is not really appropriate?

JacqueMehoff

Was there ever a cop indicted on any of these shootings?

however, the city will pay in the civil settlement.

Bernie Madoff-Goetz

Good call. Edwards lost his cool and lost his life because of it. Lesson to other cops (black or white): don't run down the street in plain clothes with your gun drawn and you won't get shot.

felixthecat2

racist. we all lose our cool and it doesn't give anyone the right to take your life because of it. damn, you are one nasty racist. Waiting for your friends Dadoc, Valeriob, Snoopy to dance on this guy's grave

Your racism pissed me off so I typed it too fast.

valeriob

Blahh blaaah blee bloo blahhh blahh!

RACIST

LINK HOMOPHOBE

ctrl+v ctrl+v

BLOOMBERG QUIN WTF LINK LINK

FUCKING HORSES!!

link

LINK ctrl+v

LOOK ATME!!! AHHHHH LINK LINK ctrl+v ctrl+v

This is what your comments look like, Felix.

No one cares about your accusations, links, or veganism.

The Agrokrag

I want you two to know this is how I find the strength to get out of bed in the morning.

felixthecat2

racist. we all lost our coo and it doesn't give anyone to take your right because of it. damn, you are one nasty racist. Waiting for your friends Dadoc, Valeriob, Snoopy to dance on this guy's grave.

valeriob

O.K. I'll bite.

felixthecat2 wrote, August 12, 2009 6:11 PM:
...2 fugly ghetto trash. Yes, they are part of the Human specie but are not HUMANE and are worthless. End their life since they do more harm to society.
I'm pretty sure you're calling for two little black girls to be killed here because they do more harm to society being "fugly ghetto trash". Yea?

Bernie Madoff-Goetz

People like you are why the word "racist" has no power any longer. I'm willing to bet you probably use it at least twenty times a day yourself. Can't rationally explain something? Well, just lob the R word in. Well, it doesn't work anymore. Sorry.

felixthecat2

you have a picture of a chimp with a gun and all your comments last night were so full of ignorance and hatred. You are a disempowered coward who wets his bed at night.

Bernie Madoff-Goetz

Yes, Felix. I have a picture of a chimp with a gun wearing a suit because my alias is a double reference to Bernie Goetz--the subway shooter from 1984 (who used a GUN)--and Bernie Madoff--the ponzi schemer who wore a SUIT. Apparently it is beyond your level of comprehension. Don't sue me if you pop a blood vessel straining to figure it out even after I just explained it.

Dead Himmler

How is that racist? Your a racist for bringing up racism when this is clearly not the case.

felixthecat2

read all his comments last night. This guy is just plain hateful and didn't the MTA caught you yet on Workers comp Fraud?

Dead Himmler

Nobody cares. My boss knows and he laughs about it because he does it when he needs extra cash. I want to tell you that I am currently eating french froie gras and enjoying it.