Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Holds Media Availability Following Shooting of FDNY Lieutenant

August 14, 2015

Video available at: https://youtu.be/IiMTMV3xyFA

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Thank you, Commissioner Bratton. Look, this is a very challenging day for our first responders, for our police officers, for our firefighters, for our EMTs. But it’s a day when they all handled their jobs in an exemplary fashion. There’s a lot to be proud of today in the way our first responders handled something you just can’t be fully prepared for. It was a very challenging and dynamic situation, but this proves, once again, that we have the finest police, finest firefighters, the finest EMTs anywhere in this nation. 

I spent some time at the hospital with Lieutenant James Hayes, an extraordinary man. I want you to know right now – just to give you the facts – a 31-year veteran of the FDNY, a proud Staten Islander. And I talked – before I went in, Commissioner Nigro and I talked with some of his colleagues, some of the firefighters from Engine 158. And the clear respect they had for their lieutenant to being with, that was obvious. But the fact that their lieutenant was the one to make the tough decision to go in to what was obviously a dangerous situation, that only added to the respect of the men who he leads. They told a story after they heard the shots ring out of helping with other police personnel to get the lieutenant out of that situation and get him to safety. By the way, everyone who helped get Lieutenant Hayes to safety put themselves in harms way in the process. And they all are to be commended for their bravery and their quick thinking. 

But I have to say, Lieutenant Hayes – a very, very impressive guy. Cool, calm, collected – was making light of his injuries. Thank God – thank God his injuries were as limited as they are. And that really is extraordinary given the situation he was in. We spent time together, including with his wife, his brothers, his son and daughter – a wonderful family. And someone we should be profoundly proud of – he didn’t hesitate to serve this city and to go into harms way. Not only in the context of what appeared to be a fire, but obviously in the context in which there was a dangerous person there as well. We all appreciate Lieutenant Hayes, and we wish him a very, very speedy recovery. And the situation looks very hopeful. 

I mentioned the skill and the capacity of our first responders. Again, a lot of people involved in this operation – and a very complicated operation. Of course, again, I want to thank Commissioner Bratton and Commissioner Nigro for their leadership; Chief of Detectives Bob Boyces; Chief of Patrol Carlos Gomez; the borough commander, Chief Delatorre. You heard from Lieutenant Jack Cambria, he does extraordinary work through the Hostage Negotiation Team – incredibly difficult work, and we thank him for all he’s done. And [inaudible] we thank you; the commanding officer here at the 1-2-1, Deputy Inspector Terence Hurson; the US marshals represented by Charles Dunne. I want to thank the elected officials who have been supportive of our first responders always, and today as well – State Senator Diane Savino; Assembly Member Michael Cusick; and Council Member Debbie Rose. Also should note, at the hospital – the president of the UFOA, Jake LaMonda, was there in support of his member.

As the commissioner indicated, all of these first responders – and in particular, the men and women of the NYPD – did all that their training told them to try and end this situation peacefully. The NYPD really went the extra mile here, sending a helicopter to bring the mother of this individual up to try and diffuse this situation, having the finest hostage negotiators anywhere around. The NYPD showed extraordinary restraint and care in this situation. Thank God no members of the NYPD were hurt, no surrounding residents of the neighborhood were hurt. That was all because of the quality of the work that was done here today. It’s a patient, careful strategy, and one that even though the ultimate goal was not achieved – of a peaceful surrender – all the other goals of protecting the life of community residents and of our first responders were achieved. 

The people of Staten Island should be particularly proud of the first responders who served here, and we should remember and support them everyday. And I just ask all New Yorkers as they join me in celebrating in particular Lieutenant Hayes, and wishing him a very speedy recovery. 

With that, I’d like to bring his commanding officer up to the podium – Fire Commissioner Dan Nigro.

[…]

Unknown: We can take a few questions on this incident today.

Question: Could you go over the arrest history of the [inaudible]

Commissioner William Bratton, NYPD: Go up, Boyce – Chief Boyce, chief of detectives. 

Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce, NYPD: Tyree Garland has 18 prior arrests. He has spent most of – a good part of his life incarcerated – his adult life incarcerated. He committed a homicide when he was 16-year-old here in Staten Island, not far from where that incident happened today. He was on federal parol until next year sometime, and he violated the conditions of that parol. And we are investigating further what his actions were. If you look back into what was recovered right now, we’re still – it’s an active crime scene. We’ve recovered three handguns; one AK-47, which was in his hands when he came out; one smoke grenade; two magazines, one which is a drum magazine with 75 rounds in it – the other is a banana clip with 30 rounds in it. And that’s where we are right now – considerable arrest history, and we consider him a very dangerous man. 

Commissioner Bratton: This is a photo of the weapon that he exited the apartment with. It’s a fully automatic version – AK-47, and it was on full automatic when he exited that apartment and began shooting at the NYPD emergency service officers who were there. And again, this weapon, along with the other firearms were recovered – these were all in the hands of an individuals who certainly should not have them in the first place.

Question: Knowing the arrest history, can you talk about the decision from [inaudible] to go in from the fire department [inaudible] given the smoke condition that lead prior to the shooting here? 

Commissioner Daniel Nigro, FDNY: Well, certainly at the time the fire officer was not aware of the person’s history. There was no evidence that he was armed. There was evidence that there was a heavy smoke condition – an unknown number of occupants in the apartment. So, Lieutenant Hayes made a decision to search the apartment.

Question: [inaudible] 

Chief Boyce: There is a Facebook posing that simply says, today, I die. That’s what it says. And that happened about 7 o’clock in the morning and around that area. We have – that’s his last Facebook posting before that. After that there was nothing more, but we have other people coming into the Facebook who are making statements on it. 

Question: The [inaudible] daughter said that he had mental issues. We obviously know he has a really long rap sheet. How does a guy like this even get [inaudible] never mind the arsenal of weapons [inaudible] 

Chief Boyce: That’s to be determined as we go forward – to find out – do traces on those guns, find out where he found – where he obtained them.

Question: How frustrating is it for you all as law enforcement that there’s wrong people getting [inaudible] 

Chief Boyce: It’s what we do for a living each day. So, unfortunately there is a big problem in the city with illegally obtained guns .

Question: What’s his connection with the Bloods [inaudible]

Chief Boyce: He is a member. He is an OG – self-proclaimed member of the OG – the [inaudible] gangsters. He has significant postings on that. He has some writings describing his life in the Blood gang members. Alright – and that’s where we are with that right now. I spoke to members of the gang division – they knew who he was. And again, I think he has some considerable following within the Bloods. 

Question: Does the suspect have a history of mental illness, sir, that you’re aware of?

Chief Boyce: Nothing we can see right now. He has spent a good part of his life in jail. So, we’ll have to go back and look at his corrections data. He did assault someone in Rikers Island. He was arrested for that attempted murder at some point in his life. So, we’re peeling this back now, as we go forward.

Question: [inaudible] Commissioner Bratton, how do you think the coordination between the different agencies went in this operation?

Commissioner Bratton: Well, they went extraordinarily well. The operation this morning with the joint Fugitive Task Force is something that’s ongoing all the time. U.S. marshals, in conjunction with members of our department that are assigned to work with them – they do these types of operations hundreds of times every year, and normally without incident. Today certainly was the exception rather than the norm. It is a – as you might expect – a very dangerous line of work within a profession that has more than its share of dangers. The coordination with the fire department – that the initial call to fire department – they were on scene, I think, less than three minutes after the initial call for their assistance. And then the coordination – getting the fire lieutenant out of the stairwell where he had been shot. And throughout the course of the morning, the coordination with fire department officials, health and hospitals, who where there, as well as within our department, and then certainly working with the U.S. marshal service. So, from a coordination standpoint, this is reflective of just how well it works in the city of New York.  

Question: Mayor, there are reports that you were at the gym during this entire process. Can you give any sort of –

Mayor: We’re briefing you all on a very serious situation, and that’s just not a serious question. 

Question: Quick question for the lieutenant [inaudible] what was different here? What went wrong? Why didn’t you surrender? 

Lieutenant Jack Cambria, Hostage Negotiation Team, NYPD: Well, I think it was a textbook scenario of how we presented ourselves. You know, we start with the basics, trying to develop a rapport. I think we did so very early on. He was cooperative with us throughout the process – the four hours negotiating. Every time we would call him on his phone – his cell phone – he would pick it up. At one point, the reception was not so great, so we offered to bring him another one of our phones – a phone that we could talk to him in more direct contact. We had it brought to the door with a robot, but he did not want to take it. He was concerned about taking it. So we continued the dialog – and again, very cooperative up to the point when his mom came. And very sweet with the mom, and mom was very sweet with him. And he said, coming out now, momma. He said I love you – I love you back – put the gun down, and then right after that the shots rang out. 

Question: [inaudible] he said today, I die – was he saying that was almost suicidal [inaudible] 

Lieutenant Cambria: The only one that can really answer that – whether it was a suicide by cop phenomenon, is him. You know, it might be counter intuitive because he did come out with a vest. So, if he was looking to – if he’s bent on committing suicide by cop, maybe the vest might not have been a factor. He knew what he was facing, however. He knew there was many heavily armed police officers outside – emergency service. So, it’s hard to determine that because of that vest, for me at least. 

Chief Boyce: Just to further you point [inaudible] that came in at about 7 o’clock in the morning, right after – during the course of the day as the lieutenant went back and forth. He said he would surrender to us when his mother came. So, we took him at his word and we furthered that as much as we can. So, that was early on in the investigation, and we went forward after that in engaging him in conversations – sometimes with a bullhorn too [inaudible] You were here this morning earlier on another hostage thing – successfully complete. A very busy morning at the HNT. So, we expected him to surrender actually today. 

Unknown: Thanks, everbody.