Pols want more info on police shooting in Far Rock that left man dead
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Three Queens elected officials want more information on a police shooting in Far Rockaway that left 29-year-old Chez Fray, who allegedly charged at officers with a box cutter, dead. Photo via NYPD
By Ryan Schwach
A trio of Queens elected officials are asking for a full investigation into a police shooting that left a 29-year-old man dead in Far Rockaway over the weekend.
City Councilmember Selvena Brooks-Powers, Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson and State Senator James Sanders issued a joint statement Tuesday seeking more information on the incident.
According to the NYPD, police responded to a domestic violence call on Sunday night that resulted in the shooting and killing of 29-year-old Chez Fray, who allegedly came at the officers with a box cutter.
Fray’s family has disputed the NYPD’s telling of the events that lead to Fray’s death.
“Any use of deadly force is deeply concerning, and the public deserves answers,” Brooks-Powers, Anderson and Sanders said in their joint statement. “It is fair and necessary to ask whether non-lethal options were fully explored, whether mental health or emotional distress played a role, and why, as has been reported, the father was arrested after reportedly disengaging. These questions cannot linger in the dark.”
The trio called for a “full transparent, and timely investigation, with clear public reporting.”
“This tragedy underscores what our community has been saying for far too long: police cannot be the only response to a crisis,” they added. “New York City must make real investments in de-escalation training, crisis intervention, and mental health care so that more situations end with people alive and families intact.”
In a text message to the Eagle, Anderson said he was "disappointed in how the situation was handled by the 101 [precinct].”
He told the Eagle that this is the third police involved shooting in 101st in recent memory, which he said should be investigated by itself.
“All the years of working with this [precinct], this is what we are relegated to,” he said. “There’s still work to do.”
Anderson added that he agrees with Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s plans to pull police officers away from certain mental health calls and replace them with social workers and mental health professionals.
The NYPD did not respond to a request for comment on the electeds’ comment.
According to police, officers from the precinct responded to a family dispute at 11-70 Nameoke St. just after midnight on Sunday.
Upon arrival, officers were told by Fray’s 50-year-old father, identified by the Daily News as Kevin Fray, that he and his son were having an argument.
The officers then encountered the 29-year-old, who was holding a box cutter, and ordered him to drop the weapon.
They said the son had a brief altercation with his father before the senior Fray walked back behind the officers.
Police alleged that the son did not respond to their commands, and then charged toward the officers. One fired a taser while the other fired their gun, striking Fray.
He was rushed to South Nassau Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
NYPD Chief of Patrol Phillip Rivera said the entire incident was captured on body-worn cameras, but the footage has not been released.
“This incident, once again, demonstrates the dangers that our police officers face every day and our routines will fall and quickly escalate into an extremely dangerous situation,” said Rivera.
Speaking with the Daily News, Fray’s family disputed the NYPD’s telling of the shooting.
“I called for help and they murdered my son,” the father said, alleging that he was hugging his son and not fighting with him before the shots were fired.
Rev. Kevin McCall, a social justice activist speaking for the family, said when Kevin Fray called the police he told them his son wasn’t a threat, and that he was having a bad reaction to marijuana.
The incident will be investigated by the NYPD Force Investigations Division and the Office of the Attorney General.
