378:, with the hammer raised over his head. Six officers who responded to the radio calls stood on their feet, guns drawn, in a rough semicircle around him. They shouted at him, one officer "almost pleading" to drop the hammer. There was a distinct single shot, followed closely by a volley of 12 shots, which were fired by Sergeant Memoly and Officers Martin Sanabria and William Loshiavo, whereupon Busch fell dead. Alternatively, Busch took a step forward, was screaming while swinging the hammer, and kept coming at the officers. He was striking a fallen police sergeant with the hammer when he was shot.
199:
503:
275:
489:
352:
call about a man living at 1619 46th Street, Busch's address, who was menacing neighborhood children with a hammer. When police arrived, they asked
Freeman to leave the apartment. Freeman came up the stairs, and told police "Don't worry about the hammer, it's a religious object," as officers wrestled
369:
At 6:48:20 p.m., Sergeant Joseph Memoly, just arriving on the scene, put in a second call for the
Emergency Service Unit. Busch was either forced outside, or broke free from the officers. According to police, he then ran up a narrow stairway from the apartment, struck Sergeant Terrence O'Brien
476:
a former police officer, found serious issues with the police officers' version of the events leading up to Busch's shooting, as well as the truthfulness of their testimony, overturning the jury verdict, and ordering a new trial. The Busch Family declined to pursue another trial for family health
361:
in situations involving a mentally disturbed person. They ordered Busch to come out, which he refused to do. Officers then entered the apartment, and tried to contain him. Busch by this time had ceased wearing his prescription glasses, and may not have recognized his intruders as police officers.
340:
During the late afternoon of August 30, 1999, neighbors called police complaining that Busch had been playing music too loud, and dancing almost naked in the street. By the time police arrived, he was back inside his basement apartment with a friend, a homeless man named Percy
Freeman, with whom
471:
In
October 2003, Busch-Boskey's lawsuit against the NYPD reached Federal Court. However, the Busch family had another setback when on November 17, 2003, the jury supported the police officers' version of the shooting, and found the officers and the city not liable in Busch's death. However, on
308:
In 1997, Busch entered a residential program for the mentally ill in
Borough Park, but soon checked himself out, against the advice of doctors, who said they did not believe he was capable of living on his own. He took computer training courses with plans to go into business designing
266:, where he had made threats to his parents, and evinced signs of paranoid schizophrenia. He once became very agitated, and kicked a hole in the wall of his room at his mother's house, saying afterward, "I can't believe I did that. I love this house. I grew up in this house."
185:
Gidone Busch was born to Norman Busch, a dentist, and his wife Doris, a divorce mediator. He had a brother named Glenn. At one point, Norman and Doris divorced, whereupon Doris married Howard Boskey, a psychiatrist. Busch grew up in a comfortable suburban home in
224:. The revelation shook Busch deeply, causing him to drop out of medical school. He read books on philosophy and immersed himself in music in a quest for meaning in life. Busch decided to explore a path to spiritual enlightenment in his own religion of
331:
On August 29, 1999, Busch struck a neighbor's passing car with his hammer. When the driver stopped and rolled down his window, Busch swung at him and broke his nose. The neighbor filed a complaint with the police.
462:
262:
The diagnosis also triggered immobilizing depressions in Busch, which later developed into serious mental illness. Busch's mental health history included three involuntary commitments at a hospital on
406:
In the aftermath of the killing, many neighborhood residents gathered in the street, chanting "Justice" while occasionally throwing objects at police. Many demanded to know why Mayor
755:
397:
388:
Officers later found strange scribblings on the wall of the apartment. One spelled out the word "POLICE" as "Pointedly Off-wing
Litigating Intensely Careful Errand-deliverers."
449:
Busch's mother, Doris Busch-Boskey, filed a federal suit through her attorneys, claiming Busch's civil rights had been violated by the officers. However, on June 5, 2001, the
446:
declined to indict the four officers involved in the shooting, citing the fact that Busch presented a threat to the officers, and had refused orders to drop the hammer.
354:
420:
called for an investigation. He said that the police needed to re-examine their methods for dealing with the mentally ill, but there were no easy answers.
168:, who fired on him at least 12 times. The killing was highly controversial, because although Busch was armed at the time, the weapon he brandished was a
79:
562:
735:
634:
760:
765:
362:
Busch threatened them with the hammer, and took a swing or two at them. Failing to pacify him, Officer Daniel
Gravitch shot a half-ounce of
595:
750:
324:
In the beginning of August 1999, three weeks before his death, Busch met a female acquaintance from Israel, Netanya Ullman, on the
305:
with friends. During other times, when he neglected to take his medication, he wouldn't look up from his prayer book or his food.
675:
321:, and danced around with it in prayer. He meditated while playing loud music, or prayed so loudly that the neighbors complained.
202:
745:
720:
450:
313:. Busch would often be seen walking around talking to himself, and wearing heavy clothes in mid-summer. He procured a
370:
with the hammer several times on his left arm, then rushed past other officers. He stood on the sidewalk, wearing a
358:
165:
132:
715:
278:
413:
One witness at the scene said of the police, "If I had been in their shoes I would have done the same thing."
477:
reasons, announcing their decision on August 27, 2006. However, they continue to seek justice for Gidone.
72:
17:
740:
730:
232:. During his seven years there, he vacillated between various Jewish sects, starting with a conventional
725:
700:
209:
453:
declined to file charges, announcing instead that they agreed that excessive force had not been used.
516:
424:
431:
stated that seven independent witnesses confirmed that Busch hit
Sergeant O'Brien with the hammer.
256:
157:
286:
161:
657:
508:
473:
465:
325:
8:
461:
187:
639:
662:
301:
population. At times, Busch would enjoy music, or the quiet grace of celebrating the
52:
494:
294:
233:
217:
198:
345:. He waved the hammer at them, which may have appeared at first to be a flute.
318:
285:
Busch's spiritual quest led him into taking up residence on 46th Street in the
221:
694:
709:
427:
attended by Mayor
Giuliani and Jewish community leaders, Police Commissioner
407:
400:
213:
94:
81:
428:
363:
114:
410:
did not go to
Brooklyn to address their concerns about police brutality.
314:
263:
169:
443:
417:
342:
274:
240:
440:
396:
375:
310:
290:
64:
353:
him to the ground and handcuffed him. The officers called for the
696:
1999 TV Report Examines NYPD Backlash After Borough Park Shooting
635:"Disturbed Man Wielding A Hammer Is Killed By Police In Brooklyn"
382:
302:
248:
236:
225:
371:
298:
244:
229:
349:
252:
519:– a high-profile police shooting in the Giuliani era
756:
New York City Police Department corruption and misconduct
208:
In 1991, while Busch was a third-year medical student at
596:"No Charges Against Officers in Fatal Brooklyn Shooting"
281:, a synagogue near Busch's apartment and the shooting
255:. Eventually, Busch went back to the more mainstream
484:
563:"Man Shot By City Officers Was On A Troubled Quest"
193:
676:"Police Justified in '99 Killing, A Jury Decides"
381:At 6:48:27 p.m., Sergeant O'Brien radioed: "
160:who was shot and killed outside his apartment in
156:(1968 – August 30, 1999) was a mentally ill
707:
557:
555:
553:
348:At 6:40 p.m., police received an anonymous
317:, which he called his "staff", carved on it the
629:
627:
551:
549:
547:
545:
543:
541:
539:
537:
535:
533:
625:
623:
621:
619:
617:
615:
613:
611:
609:
607:
423:At a news conference the following morning at
220:, an immune system disease that could lead to
172:, and accounts of the incident varied widely.
652:
650:
648:
590:
588:
586:
584:
582:
580:
578:
576:
574:
530:
335:
216:, a routine urine test revealed that he had
604:
297:, a neighborhood with a prominent Orthodox
143:Lawsuit by Busch's family against the NYPD
656:Gewirtz Little, Rivka (December 9, 2003)
645:
571:
460:
395:
273:
197:
736:August 1999 events in the United States
674:Glaberson, William (November 18, 2003)
203:Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
14:
708:
761:Police brutality in the United States
27:1999 police shooting in New York City
766:Police brutality in New York (state)
456:
434:
328:, and they decided to get married.
24:
25:
777:
751:Deaths by person in New York City
688:
561:Sachs, Susan (September 2, 1999)
472:September 9, 2004, federal judge
594:Kifner, John (November 2, 1999)
501:
487:
194:College years and mental illness
633:Newman, Andy (August 31, 1999)
359:New York City Police Department
269:
166:New York City Police Department
133:New York City Police Department
668:
279:Temple Beth El of Borough Park
13:
1:
746:Deaths by firearm in Brooklyn
721:1990s crimes in New York City
523:
180:
175:
391:
357:, standard procedure in the
7:
480:
228:, and he promptly moved to
10:
782:
210:Mount Sinai Medical School
517:Shooting of Amadou Diallo
336:Police shooting and death
139:
128:
120:
110:
71:
59:
43:
35:
164:by four officers of the
439:On November 1, 1999, a
341:Busch had been smoking
135:(NYPD) found not liable
31:Killing of Gidone Busch
468:
403:
355:Emergency Service Unit
282:
205:
162:Borough Park, Brooklyn
716:1999 in New York City
464:
399:
277:
201:
95:40.63269°N 73.98306°W
509:New York City portal
474:Sterling Johnson Jr.
466:Sterling Johnson Jr.
326:New York City Subway
243:, continuing on to
188:Dix Hills, New York
100:40.63269; -73.98306
91: /
32:
741:Crimes in Brooklyn
731:August 1999 crimes
680:The New York Times
640:The New York Times
600:The New York Times
567:The New York Times
469:
451:Justice Department
404:
283:
206:
63:1619 46th Street,
30:
726:1990s in Brooklyn
663:The Village Voice
457:Civil proceedings
435:Legal proceedings
366:in Busch's eyes.
147:
146:
16:(Redirected from
773:
697:
682:
672:
666:
654:
643:
631:
602:
592:
569:
559:
511:
506:
505:
504:
497:
495:Biography portal
492:
491:
490:
416:City Councilman
247:, and then to a
124:1 (Gidone Busch)
106:
105:
103:
102:
101:
96:
92:
89:
88:
87:
84:
50:
33:
29:
21:
781:
780:
776:
775:
774:
772:
771:
770:
706:
705:
695:
691:
686:
685:
673:
669:
655:
646:
632:
605:
593:
572:
560:
531:
526:
507:
502:
500:
493:
488:
486:
483:
459:
437:
394:
338:
272:
257:Breslov Hasidic
218:IgA nephropathy
196:
183:
178:
158:Breslover Hasid
99:
97:
93:
90:
85:
82:
80:
78:
77:
67:, New York City
48:
39:August 30, 1999
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
779:
769:
768:
763:
758:
753:
748:
743:
738:
733:
728:
723:
718:
704:
703:
690:
689:External links
687:
684:
683:
667:
658:"Lost Legacy?"
644:
603:
570:
528:
527:
525:
522:
521:
520:
513:
512:
498:
482:
479:
458:
455:
436:
433:
393:
390:
337:
334:
319:tetragrammaton
271:
268:
222:kidney failure
195:
192:
182:
179:
177:
174:
145:
144:
141:
137:
136:
130:
126:
125:
122:
118:
117:
112:
108:
107:
75:
69:
68:
61:
57:
56:
45:
41:
40:
37:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
778:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
713:
711:
702:
698:
693:
692:
681:
677:
671:
665:
664:
659:
653:
651:
649:
642:
641:
636:
630:
628:
626:
624:
622:
620:
618:
616:
614:
612:
610:
608:
601:
597:
591:
589:
587:
585:
583:
581:
579:
577:
575:
568:
564:
558:
556:
554:
552:
550:
548:
546:
544:
542:
540:
538:
536:
534:
529:
518:
515:
514:
510:
499:
496:
485:
478:
475:
467:
463:
454:
452:
447:
445:
442:
432:
430:
426:
421:
419:
414:
411:
409:
408:Rudy Giuliani
402:
401:Rudy Giuliani
398:
389:
386:
384:
379:
377:
373:
367:
365:
360:
356:
351:
346:
344:
333:
329:
327:
322:
320:
316:
312:
306:
304:
300:
296:
292:
288:
280:
276:
267:
265:
260:
258:
254:
250:
246:
242:
238:
235:
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
214:New York City
211:
204:
200:
191:
189:
173:
171:
167:
163:
159:
155:
151:
142:
138:
134:
131:
127:
123:
119:
116:
113:
109:
104:
76:
74:
70:
66:
62:
58:
54:
46:
42:
38:
34:
19:
679:
670:
661:
638:
599:
566:
470:
448:
438:
429:Howard Safir
422:
415:
412:
405:
387:
380:
368:
364:pepper spray
347:
339:
330:
323:
307:
287:Borough Park
284:
270:Borough Park
261:
207:
184:
153:
150:Gidone Busch
149:
148:
115:Use of force
18:Gidone Busch
315:claw hammer
289:section of
264:Long Island
251:yeshiva in
170:claw hammer
98: /
73:Coordinates
710:Categories
524:References
444:grand jury
418:Noach Dear
181:Early life
176:Background
154:Gary Busch
140:Litigation
86:73°58′59″W
83:40°37′58″N
425:City Hall
392:Reactions
343:marijuana
311:web pages
241:Jerusalem
481:See also
441:Brooklyn
376:tefillin
295:New York
291:Brooklyn
234:Orthodox
65:Brooklyn
60:Location
701:YouTube
385:down."
303:Shabbat
259:group.
249:Na Nach
237:yeshiva
226:Judaism
129:Verdict
372:tallit
299:Jewish
245:Chabad
230:Israel
121:Deaths
51:p.m. (
49:
350:9-1-1
253:Safed
383:Perp
374:and
111:Type
47:6:48
44:Time
36:Date
699:on
239:in
212:in
152:or
53:EDT
712::
678:,
660:,
647:^
637:,
606:^
598:,
573:^
565:,
532:^
293:,
190:.
55:)
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
