Amdou Diallo Shooting History

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Four officers, one man, and forty one bullets. The shooting of west Guinea immigrant, Amadou Diallo was just one of many tragedies of police shootings in New York City. Taking place on February 5th, 1999 outside Diallo’s apartment located in the Bronx of New York City, the shooting stirred up a cry for change in the hearts of many that year, and for years to follow. Amadou Diallo had lived in New York for two and a half years but was originally from a village in Guinea called Lelouma. Diallo moved here with relatives and worked as a street peddler, selling socks, gloves, and videos on 14th Street in Manhattan. (Cooper, 20) His friends and family described Amadou as shy, hard working, kind, and a devout Muslim. (Cooper, 3) The officers who killed…show more content…
The four officers involved in the shooting were Sean Carroll, 35, Edward McMellon, 26, Kenneth Boss, 27, and Richard Murphy, 26. All four men belonged to the New York City Police Department and were assigned to a specifically aggressive, and at times, controversial department, the Street Crimes Unit. (Cooper, 7) The four officers approached Amadou Diallo at the front of his apartment complex about a quarter before one o’clock that afternoon. (Cooper, 13) The officers were not dressed in uniform, and were riding in an unmarked car. (Cooper, 12) They also failed to make any radio contact with their station before approaching Diallo. (Cooper, 15) Their reasoning for approaching the man would not come out until long after the first moments following the shooting. The only thing known initially on the day of the shooting was this, the four officers who were left standing and unharmed after the event, had fired a combined total of 41 shots at the man lying on the pavement of New York City, later identified as Mr. Diallo. (Cooper, 1) Each officer was armed with a 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistol that carried a total of 16 bullets. (Cooper, 6). Officers Sean Carroll, and Edward McMellon emptied their rounds, firing 16 bullets each at Diallo. Officer Kenneth Boss fired a total of 5 shots, and Officer Richard Murphy fired four. (Cooper

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