This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
Published on June 9, 2020, a 15-year State Police veteran, Sergeant Wetzel, has been placed on administrative leave following a fatal shooting of a black man, Mr. Gordon, in New York.
Mr. Gordon, a 19-year-old from Jamaica, had moved to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to join his half-siblings. He was studying chemistry at Dutchess Community College and worked as an Uber driver and Uber Eats delivery person to support himself.
His mother said he dreamed of becoming a chemistry teacher. However, a former girlfriend told the Pine Barrens Tribune that Mr. Gordon was being treated for schizophrenia, a claim his family neither confirmed nor disputed, but said was irrelevant to his death.
‘I don’t think his mental health has anything to do with it,’ said Ms. Barrett, Mr. Gordon’s sister.
According to Mr. Wagstaff, Mr. Gordon’s lawyer, the fatal shooting occurred nearly 40 minutes into the police encounter. Mr. Wagstaff said that Mr. Gordon’s car was pulled off to the side of the parkway’s left-hand passing lane, but would not start when asked to move to the opposite shoulder.
Mr. Gordon then moved to the back seat of the trooper’s car, where he was frisked before entering. He was not carrying a weapon, according to Mr. Wagstaff.
