NY Times: Marinda van Dalen Quoted in Response to Police Shooting in the Bronx

April 21, 2023

Baerga v. City of New York, Health Justice, News, Transforming Mental Health Crisis Response

NYLPI Peers Not Police Rally

NY TIMES | APRIL 2023

An unidentified 39-year-old man was shot by police while experiencing a mental health crisis outside of an assisted living center; Marinda van Dalen, NYLPI senior staff attorney, Disability and Health Justice, was quoted regarding another recent shooting in the Bronx, which occurred only a month ago:

In that instance, officers shot the man, Raul de la Cruz, within 28 seconds of responding to a 311 call from Mr. de la Cruz’s father, who had requested medical care for his son after arguing with him. The younger Mr. de la Cruz remained unconscious for days after the shooting.

“This is only the most recent tragic shooting of someone experiencing a mental health crisis by New York City police officers,” said Marinda van Dalen, a senior staff lawyer with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest who is representing Mr. de la Cruz’s family. Ms. van Dalen said the shooting demonstrated “the need for a non-police response in New York City.”

The shooting on Friday was the latest of several by the police recently, including three on April 13 alone. The shootings that day involved an armed man at a Bronx subway station; a man who had stabbed a security guard in Queens; and a 78-year-old Brooklyn man whose nephew had called the police to say he thought there was a burglar in his uncle’s home. The man shot in that instance died.

Read more at NY Times.

Photo: Activists hold signs at a Peers Not Police Rally in March.

Stay Connected

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and opportunities to take action from our team.

Thanks! We’ll be in touch soon!

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!