Dec 4, 2007 6:30 pm US/Eastern
Grand Jury Indicts NYPD Cop In Arzu Shooting
NYPD Traffic Cop Lora To Face Manslaughter Charge
BRONX (CBS) ―
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NYPD traffic copy Raphael Lora was indicted on a first degree manslaughter charge on Dec. 4.
CBS
A grand jury indicted a New York City police officer Thursday for the deadly May shooting of an unarmed man in the Bronx, CBS 2 has learned.
Sources tell CBS 2 HD's Scott Weinberger that traffic cop Raphael Lora is charged with first degree manslaughter in the death of Fermin Arzu.
Not long after the shooting, Lora was quoted as saying he was "only doing his job" when he responded while off duty to a crash involving the minivan Arzu was driving.
While trying to stop Arzu from leaving the scene, police sources told CBS 2 HD Lora had his badge out, identified himself as an officer and saw Arzu reach for the glove compartment. Lora fired and Arzu was hit.
As Arzu drove away he sideswiped another vehicle and died as his minivan burned on a sidewalk.
A few days later, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association stated: "Those who make snap judgments without all the facts do not serve the best interests of this city or those involved in the incident."
Officer Lora is well liked in his neighborhood. He's Puerto Rican, but his neighbors are Dominicans, Ecuadorians, Filipinos, and Honduran and they say this block is better because of him. They says he's no hot head and is always ready to help.
But Arzu's relatives demanded answers from police, saying at a rally organized by Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network that an unarmed man died for no reason.
Arzu had a son, Jeyson, and a fiancee, Thomasa Sabia, whom he had planned to marry in October.
CBS 2's Dave Carlin contributed to this report.
Please stay with CBS 2 HD and wcbstv.com for more on this developing story.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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