#FireThompsonAndDavis for Kawaski Trawick
Kawaski Trawick
Kawaski was murdered by NYPD
in 112 seconds
On April 14, 2019, Kawaski locked himself out of his apartment while he was cooking. Hill House, the supportive housing facility where Kawaski lived, refused to help him, so Kawaski called the fire department. The fire department let Kawaski back into his apartment and the situation was resolved. Kawaski was cooking in his home alone when NYPD Officers Brenden Thompson and Herbert Davis arrived and killed him in 112 seconds.
Both officers gloved up, broke the chain holding Kawaski’s door closed, illegally entered Kawaski's home, barked orders and refused to answer Kawaski's questions. They created a crisis situation and then escalated it. Officer body-worn camera video shows Officer Thompson tasered Kawaski for no reason and then shot him four times.
Neither officer rendered medical aid. Officer Davis closed the door to Kawaski’s apartment and held it shut as he bled out on the floor.
“Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis need to be fired and we want to make sure the Mayor and the NYPD know we are watching. We’re calling on New Yorkers to join us and we won’t rest until both officers are fired for murdering our son.”
Ellen Trawick, mother of Kawaski Trawick
Kawaski came to NYC to make his dream come true.
Kawaski grew up in Georgia with his parents, Ellen and Rickie Trawick, and his three sisters. Like so many other queer and trans people, Kawaski’s vision for his future brought him to NYC to pursue his dreams as a dancer, fitness instructor, and entrepreneur. He was a member of the NYC ballroom scene and taught aerobics.
8 FACTS About the NYPD Murder of Kawaski
Trawick
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Kawaski Trawick was just cooking in his apartment.
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Officer Brendan Thompson & Herbert Davis illegally entered Kawaski's apartment. Davis used his baton to break the chain holding Kawaski's door closed.
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Thompson & Davis were CIT-trained but refused to answer Kawaski's questions & created a crisis.
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There was no emergency to justify Thompson & Davis' illegal entry or escalations.
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Thompson tased Kawaski for no reason, then shot him 4 times. They killed Kawaski in 112 seconds.
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After Kawaski was shot, neither officer rendered aid. Davis shut the door & they let Kawaski bleed out without medical attention.
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NYPD refused to release names of cops when Kawaski was killed. They hid the full video from the public for almost 2 years.
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It's been 4 years of delays & obstruction under 2 mayors & 4 police commissioners.
ABOUT
The Campaign to Fire NYPD Officers
Brenden Thompson and Herbert Davis.
The discipline trial for Thompson and Davis finally took place in this past spring. At the end of September 2023, news broke that in her report on the trial, NYPD Deputy Commissioner Rosamarie Maldonado is recommending that all charges be dismissed. Her rationale for this is that the Civilian Complaint Review Board took too long to serve the charges to the officers, but it was actually the NYPD that delayed and obstructed the charges and the disciplinary process at every turn: For almost two years, the NYPD did not release any video and when it did, it was incomplete. The department did not let anyone see the full video until a judge ordered its release. After Kawaski was killed, the NYPD did not turn over body camera footage for 21 months, deliberately blocking the CCRB from doing a timely investigation. Internal investigation reports show that the NYPD investigation was a sham, and investigators spent less than 30 minutes interviewing either Thompson or Davis. Not a single question was asked about what the video footage showed or when Thompson or Davis contradicted the footage or each other. In June 2021, the CCRB voted to substantiate fireable charges against both officers. The NYPD did not served CCRB’s charges to Thompson and Davis until October 2021.
Kawaski Trawick's parents have endured years of cover-ups, delays, and obstruction by the Bronx DA, the NYPD, and Officers Brenden Thompson and Herbert Davis with support from the Police Benevolent Association (PBA).
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Bronx DA took a year and a half to investigate and decide not to charge the officers.
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The NYPD took almost two years to release incomplete body-worn camera (bwc) footage. The NYPD did not let anyone see the full video until a judge ordered its release.
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The NYPD took 21 months to turn bwc footage over to the CCRB and two years to close their internal investigation and find "no wrongdoing", deliberately stalling the CCRB investigation.
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NYPD investigators did not spend more than 30 minutes interviewing Thompson and Davis. Not a single question was asked about what the bwc video showed or when they contradicted the footage or each other.
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The NYPD took 3.5 months to deliver the CCRB's substantiated charges.
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The PBA waited 1 year to say there was a conflict of interest and Davis needed a new lawyers - delaying the scheduling of the discipline trial by another 2 months.
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In March 2023, the police union lawyers attempted and failed to strike a backroom deal with the NYPD Commissioner to get her to kill the case against Thompson and Davis.
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In April 2023, the police union attorneys managed to delay the discipline trial by requesting and being granted a two week adjournment part way through the trial. The police union lawyers claimed an NYPD official they wanted to call as a witness would be on vacation during the trial dates that had been scheduled since last year.
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NYPD Deputy Commissioner Rosemarie Maldonado, who oversaw the discipline trial, took four months to write her report only to recommend all charges against Thompson and Davis be dismissed claiming the CCRB took too long to deliver charges to the officers when it was clearly the NYPD that delayed and obstructed the charges and discipline process.
4 YEARS of NYPD Delays Through Two Mayors and 4 Police Commissioners
Take Action
#FIRETHOMPSONANDDAVIS
ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Use your social media accounts to tell @NYCMayor Adams and @NYPDPC Caban to meet with the Trawick family before 10/11 and #FireThompsonAndDavis
immediately for killing #KawaskiTrawick.
You can download graphics and fine sample posts here.
Please use the hashtags so Kawaski's parents can easily see your support.
BIRD-DOG MAYOR ADAMS
Step 1: Find out where NYC Mayor Eric Adams is going to be.
STEP 2: Find a friend to film your interaction with the Mayor.
STEP 3: Ask the Mayor - "Mayor Adams, will you meet with Kawaski Trawick's parents and fire NYPD Officers Brendan Thompson and Herbert Davis for killing Kawaski Trawick?"
Repeat the question to demand Adams response.
If he says it's Police Commissioner Caban's decision, say- "as the police commissioner's boss, will you recommend Caban fire Thompson and Davis for killing Kawaski Trawick?"
STEP 4: Email your video to Info@justicecomittee.org
TO HOLD AND ACTION/EVENT OR JOIN THE TRAWICK TEAM
If you would like to organize an protest or other activity calling for Thompson and Davis to be fired for murdering Kawaski Trawaski please email Loyda@JusticeCommittee.org.
If your organization wants to join the Trawick Team and you are either 1) an ally of the Justice Committee or 2) a member/partner of Communities United for Police Reform please contact Cases@JusticeCommittee.org and copy Loyda to let us know.
The Trawick Team includes: Anti-Violence Project, Audre Lorde Project (ALP), Communities United for Police Reform, El Puente, Housing Works, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ), Make the Road New York, SURJ NY, VOCAL NY, and is coordinated by the Justice Committee (JC).