A New York City police captain pleaded guilty to pointing his gun at a pair of boys aged 12 and 13 who were playing tag in Brooklyn in 2013.
The New York Daily News reports that the officer, 37-year-old Brian McCaughey, was responding to a call of an officer in need of assistance when he saw the boys running, drew his pistol and shouted “Motherfucker, get on the ground!”
Later McCaughey realized he was lost, a full four blocks away from where he was actually supposed to be in Bed-Stuy.
According to city records, McCaughey was promoted to captain in 2014 with a salary of $114,978. He appeared today in front of the Civilian Complaint Review Board to enter his plea to charges of improper use of force and abuse of authority.
As punishment, he'll lose 30 days of vacation time, assuming the police commissioner upholds the sentence handed down by the CCRB.
One of the boys' mothers told the New York Post that she was pleased that McCaughey had admitted his guilt, but wanted to know why the other officers who were with him that day haven't done the same.
“He was the only one that stood up and took the blame. More of them should’ve been here,” Corinia Sivers told the newspaper.
Although the saddest quote of all was when she explained that she has taught her son to not do certain things around police officers — sigh — such as don't move too fast or wear things on his head.
“I always tell him, don’t put the hood on your head, don’t be running,” she said.
