Complaint #201506183,
July 25, 2015

Officer: Casale, Paul
Complainant: Black Male, 23
Allegation: Force: Physical force
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Substantiated
CCRB Board Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer: Cascalenda, Krista
Complainant: Black Male, 23
Allegation: Force: Physical force
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Officer Complainant Allegation CCRB Board Conclusion
Casale, Paul Black Male, 23 Force: Physical force Exonerated
CCRB Investigator Recommendation: Substantiated
Cascalenda, Krista Black Male, 23 Force: Physical force Exonerated

Conclusion Meanings:

'Exonerated': or 'Within NYPD Guidelines' - The conduct occurred but did not violate the NYPD's own rules, which often give officers significant discretion.

Further details on conclusions.


Summary

On July 25, 2015, at approximately 7:30 p.m. [redacted] was at a Target retail store located at [redacted] in Brooklyn. At 7:41 p.m. a 911 call was made alleging that [redacted] was threatening Target employees and refusing to leave (Board Review 05).
At approximately 7:50 p.m. PO Jake Liu and PO Marco Cortes of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South approached [redacted] at the customer service counter inside of Target. PO Liu and PO Cortes interacted with [redacted] for approximately 10 minutes at the customer service counter, and at one point, [redacted] fell to the ground. This interaction is captured on a Target security camera.
PO Liu and PO Cortes attempted to physically escort [redacted] out of Target, but refused to walk with the officers. PO Liu put a call for additional units over the radio (Board Review 05). PO Liu and PO Cortes forced [redacted] onto his stomach on the floor of the Target near the escalator bank/exit of Target. [redacted] remained on his stomach, lying still, and PO Liu and PO Cortes stood up, ceasing all physical contact with [redacted]. This interaction is captured on a Target security camera.
PO Paul Casale, PO Melike Turk, PO Scott Nuzzi, and PO Krista Cascalenda, all of the 70th Precinct, arrived a few seconds after PO Liu and PO Cortes stopped making physical contact with [redacted]. All the officers stood around [redacted] who remained lying stomach down on the floor. The officers proceeded to attempt to place [redacted] in handcuffs. [redacted] a shopper at Target, who was walking towards the exit of the store, alleged that PO Casale twice kneed [redacted] in the back of his head, later kneed him in the head two to three times, and then punched [redacted] about his back two to three times (Allegation A). [redacted] alleged that PO Cascalenda punched [redacted] in his lower back two to three times (Allegation B). Video footage from a cellphone and Target security cameras corroborate both allegations.
[redacted] was handcuffed and escorted out of Target. [redacted] was charged with... Read report for details.


Details

Incident: July 25, 2015
Received: July 27, 2015
Closed: December 15, 2015

Reason for contact: Report of other crime
Location: Commercial building
In NYPD 70th Precinct Brooklyn
Outcome: Arrest - resisting arrest

Witness Officers: Marco Cortes, Yefery Dalmonte, Melina Deboer, Gordon Fraser, Andrea Lasaponara, Jake Liu, Christian Lopez, Katrina Narvaez, Scott Nuzzi, Josue Ortiz, Melike Turk
Video evidence collected