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Patrick Dorismond
Patrick Dorismond.jpg
Born
Patrick Moses Dorismond

(1974-02-28)February 28, 1974
Died March 16, 2000(2000-03-16) (aged 26)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Cause of death Gunshot wound
Occupation Security guard
Known for Being killed by an undercover NYPD officer
Children Two

Patrick Moses Dorismond (born February 28, 1974 – died March 16, 2000) was an American security guard. He was a father of two children. Mr. Dorismond was killed by undercover New York City Police Department officers in the early morning of March 16, 2000. He was the younger brother of Bigga Haitian.

The Incident

On March 16, 2000, Patrick Dorismond and his friend were standing outside a lounge in New York City. An undercover police officer approached them. The officer was working for the NYC Port Authority.

Police officers stated that a struggle began. They said Mr. Dorismond and his friend attacked one of the officers. Another officer, Officer Vasquez, said he came to help his partner. He stated he heard someone yell "Get his gun!". Officer Vasquez then drew his weapon and said he was a police officer. He stated that Mr. Dorismond grabbed the gun, causing it to fire into his chest.

Mr. Dorismond's friend, Kevin Kaiser, had a different account. He stated that neither of the officers identified themselves. Mr. Kaiser said he tried to pull Mr. Dorismond away from the confrontation. He described the first undercover officer as aggressive. Mr. Kaiser stated that one of the officers started the physical fight by hitting Mr. Dorismond first.

An ambulance arrived quickly after the shooting. Mr. Dorismond was taken to St. Clare's Hospital. Doctors tried to save him, but it was too late. The single bullet hit his aorta and right lung. He died from bleeding very quickly.

Aftermath and Public Reaction

The shooting of Patrick Dorismond caused a lot of public discussion. Much of the controversy involved the mayor at the time, Rudy Giuliani. He was running for a Senate seat.

After the shooting, Mayor Giuliani released information about Mr. Dorismond's past. This information was from his juvenile record. This action upset many people, especially in the African-American community. Critics of the mayor also disagreed with his decision. His office said that privacy rights do not continue after someone dies.

Mayor Giuliani also said he wanted to show that Mr. Dorismond was "no altar boy". It was later found that Mr. Dorismond had attended the same Catholic school as Giuliani. He had indeed been an altar boy. Mayor Giuliani's actions became a big topic in his Senate campaign. This issue affected his support in the polls against Hillary Clinton.

Mr. Dorismond's funeral was a Catholic Mass held in Brooklyn. It was a very emotional event. Thousands of protestors gathered, and there were clashes with the NYPD. Several police officers were injured, and some protestors were arrested.

On July 27, 2000, a grand jury looked into the shooting. They decided not to charge Officer Vasquez. The grand jury announced that they found the shooting to be accidental.

On March 12, 2003, the City of New York reached an agreement with the Dorismond family. The city agreed to pay the family $2.25 million. This settled a lawsuit filed on behalf of the family.

In Popular Culture

The incident also appeared in popular culture.

  • In 2000, the New York City band Le Tigre released a song called "Bang! Bang!". It was on their album From the Desk of Mr. Lady. The song criticized the incident and talked about racial profiling.
  • Mr. Dorismond's name is the first one mentioned in a recitation. This recitation is called "Rollcall For Those Absent". It is from the album The Imagined Savior is Far Easier to Paint. This album was released in 2014 by jazz trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire.
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