On Monday, Dec. 10, leaders from New York’s faith, interfaith and human rights organizations gathered on the steps of City Hall to urge the New York City Council to pass The Community Safety Act, a package of bills aimed at ending discriminatory and abusive policing practices and creating an “Inspector General” for the New York Police Department. At the press conference, faith leaders welcomed Ms. Oumou Bah as a speaker. Ms. Bah’s brother Mohamed Bah was killed by members of the New York City Police Department on September 25, following his mother’s call for an ambulance out of concern for his health. The following is her statement.
Mohamed Bah, 28, was a student who attended Bronx Community College with the aim of getting a finance degree. His neighbors described him as polite, hard working and mild mannered.
Mohamed had no criminal record. He was working as a taxi driver on a night shift and going to school. He was an animal and music lover, a friend, a brother and a son to a family who loves him dearly. Just like most men his age he had dreams and aspirations. He dreamed of one day get married and helping his mother expand her business in Ginea. He truly believed that the American Dream was still alive and real.
On September 24, 2012 Mohamed’s mother, Mrs. Hawa Bah, visited her son from Ginea. Upon arriving at his apartment located on 113 Morning side Ave in Harlem, she thought that her son was depressed and she also noticed that he had a cut on his upper eye with stiches and he was limping,
She wanted to get him some medical assistance but he declined, saying that he just needed to rest. After having lunch, Mohamed walked his mother to take a taxi and made plans for her to come and spend time together the next day, which was on September 25Th. He was very happy to see her and looked forward to spending time with her and celebrating his birthday.
The next day, Tuesday September 25th, Mohamed Bah called to cancel the plans he made with his mother and rescheduled for the 26th instead. Mrs. Bah still concerned about her son, sent some family friends who lived near by to go and check on Mohamed. The family friends went to see Mohamed and spoke with him. Mohamed told them he wanted to rest and declined again the offer to go to the hospital. They were concerned about his injury and the possibility of his being depressed.
The family friends called Mrs. Bah, who was staying elsewhere, and told her to come because they thought that it was best if Mohamed was taken to the hospital. Mrs. Bah arrive outside of Mohamed’s building and along with four family friends. She dialed 911 after calling two other numbers given to her by a friend to obtain an ambulance. She then walked to the 5th floor, where Mohamed lived to convince him to go to the hospital.
Instead of an ambulance, two police officers arrived. Mrs. Bah explained the situation in detail to the police officers including the fact that her son was non-violent, alone in his apartment and in need of medical attention – only. There was no crime in progress. She made it clear that she did not call the police and that their services were not needed. The police officers informed her that the ambulance was on its way and that they just needed to talk to Mohamed.
Mrs. Bah and friends witnessed the interaction. After Mohamed opened the door, the police tried to force their way into the apartment, after Mohamed told them that he was fine and that he wished to be left alone.
Alarmed by the interaction with the police, Mrs. Bah asked to speak to her son directly as Mohamed was unaware that she was present. The police declined her repeated entreaties and said they would handle matters. When Mrs. Bah saw more police officers arriving with tools to break the door and some with the guns drawn out, she asked them to please leave and not to break the door. She pleaded with them for her son’s life in vain.
The police escalated the situation. Several dozen uniformed police officers arrived on the scene. They kicked the door screaming, “Mohamed, we will not leave until you come out.” The police forced open Mohamed’s door and shot him at least 10 times his apartment. Although the police had asked for an evacuation of the building, a downstairs neighbor stayed and reported hearing a struggle with the lock and shooting almost immediately after the door was opened.
Mohamed would have turned 29 on September 28th. Instead of a birthday celebration, his mother returned home with his body. The phone call was made at 6:40 PM and by 7:30 PM or sooner, Mohamed Bah was shot.
What was Mohamed’s crime; should innocent law abiding civilians have to fear for their lives after declining police assistance?
The police overstepped their boundaries and authority. They profiled yet another young man leading to his death while breaking their own protocols put in place to avoid such situation. Had they correctly followed their own protocol, Mohamed Bah would have been alive today. Words cannot express what this horrible tragedy has done to our family.
We cannot count on the police to investigate themselves, It’s time we get an inspector general appointed. We need an independent body that can uphold the law and hold police officers accountable for maiming and killing innocents civilians.
