The police officer who shot dead an unarmed Bronx teen hiding in his bathroom in February is expected to turn himself in Wednesday on manslaughter charges, sources told The Post.
A Bronx grand jury handed up first- and second-degree manslaughter indictments against Officer Richard Haste, a four-year NYPD veteran, for the Feb. 2 shooting of 18-year-old Ramarley Graham. The shooting of Graham inside his Wakefield home sparked accusations of over overly aggressive policing.
Haste, 30, has been on modified duty since the incident. He faces up to 25 years in prison.
The Bronx District Attorney’s Office determined that Haste not only didn’t follow procedure, but broke the law by opening fire.
The Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association had no immediate comment on the pending indictments.
“We expect an indictment and are waiting for it,” said Jeffrey Emdin, the attorney for Graham’s family.
The Feb. 2 shooting led to a massive outcry in the Wakefield community and prompted protests led by the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Cops assigned to an undercover street narcotics unit had noticed Graham on the street and thought he was acting suspiciously that day.
They followed him into his East 229th Street apartment and burst into the bathroom where he was hiding.
That’s when Haste allegedly opened fire.
Graham had a small amount of marijuana on him and was apparently trying to flush it down the toilet .
The NYPD later acknowledged that Haste did not receive the required training to operate in a street narcotics unit.