Sis of gal killed by cop sues city
THE SISTER of a mentally ill Bronx woman fatally shot by an NYPD sergeant in her apartment sued the city Friday, charging that the hulking cop concocted a bogus story to justify the slaying.
The wrongful death suit was filed in Manhattan Federal Court by Jennifer Danner, who heard the gunshots that took her 66-year-old sister Deborah’s life on Oct. 18, 2016.
The cop who pulled the trigger, Sgt. Hugh Barry, is charged with murder.
The suit details the tragic sequence of events that lead to the disabled woman’s demise. Police in the 43rd Precinct had twice before responded to her mental crises, the suit says.
When they arrived at Danner’s Castle Hill apartment on a noise complaint, one cop said, “Here we go again” — indicating that some of the officers on the scene were familiar with Danner, the suit notes.
Jennifer Danner accompanied cops and spoke with them about her sister’s previous encounters with police, she said.
Her sibling had “a history of being harmless,” papers read.
Barry persuaded Danner (photo) to SEVENTEEN PEOPLE — including nine cops and three firefighters — were injured by a smoky, fastmoving fire that tore through a Queens apartment Friday, officials said.
Residents of the 13-story Rockaway Beach highrise believe hoarding is to blame for the 11:20 a.m. blaze.
Eight police officers and their sergeant raced into the high-rise on Shore Front Parkway near Beach 87th St. in Rockaway Beach after the fire erupted on the 11th floor. The cops knocked on doors and evacuated people from the 13-story building before ending up trapped on the ninth floor.
“There was a lot of heavy smoke so they couldn’t find their way out,” an NYPD source said. “After a short time, they found a stairwell and got out.”
The cops were hospitalized with smoke inhalation, the NYPD said. Three firefighters were also hospitalized, two suffering serious injuries, officials said. The injured drop a pair of scissors as she stood in the building hallway wearing only a nightgown, documents indicate.
But Barry decided he wanted to take Danner into custody — and the confrontation escalated, papers charge. He drew his 9mm service weapon and “bum rushed” into her apartment, the suit says. He shot her twice in her bedroom.
Danner was disabled and 5 foot 6. Barry is 31 years old and about 6 feet tall and 225 lbs., the suit says. The sergeant said he opened fire because he was scared and feared for his life, the suit says.
“Barry, in an attempt to fabricate a justification under law for his killing of Deborah Danner, specifically alleged that Deborah Danner had swung a baseball bat at him,” papers read.
The killing was an egregious violation of proper NYPD procedure when dealing with mentally ill people, the documents allege. “This was a tragic incident. We’ll review the complaint,” a Law Department spokesman said.
Barry is due in a Bronx courtroom at the end of the month. He pleaded not guilty to a murder charge and is out on $100,000 bond. Danner’s family seeks damages to be determined at trial for wrongful death. were taken to area hospitals. Two were treated at the scene.
Five civilians were also hurt, with one listed in critical condition, officials said. Three tenants suffered minor injuries. A fourth remained in serious condition Friday. The fire was put out within an hour. The cause of the blaze was under investigation, but residents were quick to blame the “hoarder” tenant.
“Apparently a lamp got knocked over and a hot bulb got ignited, then all the crap he keeps burned,” resident Paulie Pontrellisaid. “If you’re a hoarder it should be illegal for you to hoard in a multifamily building.
“That’s what ignites fires,” he said. “You might as well have gasoline in there.”