NEW YORK — The police department of New York City has issued an apology after incorrectly accusing a teenager of involvement in a deadly shooting during a Brooklyn parade. This miscalculation was not publicly retracted for almost five months, despite the NYPD being aware of the error.
In a statement released to various media outlets, the NYPD acknowledged that an image shared on social media inaccurately identified Camden Lee, a 15-year-old resident of Brooklyn, as a suspect in the shooting incident that took place at the West Indian American Day Parade last September.
Delaney Kempner, the department’s newly appointed chief spokesperson, emphasized that the NYPD should have promptly corrected the misinformation and expressed their apologies for the oversight. “We apologize for the error and will continue to seek justice for the victims of this shooting,” Kempner stated.
This apology came in light of reporting revealing the NYPD’s prolonged failure to address the allegation, resulting in serious consequences for Lee, including death threats and scrutiny regarding the department’s protocols for correcting misinformation.
Following the online publication of the accusation, the police discreetly removed their claims and recognized that Lee was not a suspect in the case but still did not retract their statements, dismissing urgent requests from Lee’s family.
In the revised statement, the police described Lee as a “person of interest” in the ongoing investigation, noting he was present at the scene during the critical time surrounding the shooting, which remains unresolved. However, they did not clarify why Lee was singled out among the throngs of individuals gathered at the event or why corrections were delayed.
Wylie Stecklow, an attorney representing Lee’s family, expressed concern over the way the police handled the situation, stating, “Even in their apology, they’re painting him with a brush of culpability to cover their mistake.” He added that the department was downplaying the severity of their actions and the harmful impact it had on Lee.
Chee Chee Brock, Lee’s mother, referred to the statement as a “superficial apology” and criticized the department for the delay in addressing the issue. She indicated that there had been no direct communication from law enforcement regarding the mistake. “This could’ve been done in September after we had the meeting,” Brock remarked. “They don’t understand the damage that it caused.”
This rare admission of error by the NYPD coincides with the new police commissioner Jessica Tisch’s commitment to rebuild trust in a department facing significant challenges and changes. Recently, the NYPD has committed to reforming its social media practices following the findings of an independent monitor which pointed out unprofessional content shared by department executives online.
Lee, who is currently a sophomore in high school, shared that he attended the Labor Day event right after finishing football practice with a friend. Just moments after arriving, gunfire erupted, resulting in the death of 25-year-old Denzel Chan and injuries to four others, including his companion.
Almost three weeks post-shooting, the police posted Lee’s photograph on social media platforms like X and Instagram, accusing him of homicide. This image gained significant attention from news outlets, which perpetuated the erroneous claim even after the police acknowledged privately that it was false.
Lee met with homicide detectives shortly following the initial posts, and while he was informed that he was not a suspect, he was being sought for information regarding the incident.
The tense period since the accusations have led to Lee receiving a multitude of death threats, prompting his family to go into hiding. This turmoil has resulted in him leaving the city and missing several weeks of school.
Lee expressed the emotional toll this ordeal has taken on him, stating, “It takes me to a dark place. I don’t feel like myself anymore. I don’t have the opportunity to explain my side of the story. Everyone is so fixed on this one image of me: murderer.”
