In response to the settlement of Bah v the City of NY et al, Hawa Bah, mother of Mohamed Bah, released the following statement:

 

In November 2017 a jury of New Yorkers found NYPD Officer Edwin Mateo liable for using excessive force when killing of my beloved son, Mohamed Bah. Judge Kevin Castel upheld that decision after the de Blasio administration filed a motion to have it dismissed. Then the administration filed an appeal, which dragged on until this moment, causing my family endless suffering. 

While we are relieved that, after an outpouring of community support for my family and pressure on the de Blasio administration, we can move on from the civil suit, I continue to feel immense pain and disbelief that the Mayor put us through so much suffering.

My family continues to demand that Mateo, and all other officers involved in Mohamed’s murder, be fired. It is outrageous that, even after the jury and judge found Mateo guilty, he is still collecting a city paycheck.

The NYPD showed up at Mohamed's apartment with heavy weaponry like they were going to war. They broke down his door even though I told them to go away because I wanted an ambulance. Since then, the NYPD's Crisis Intervention training has been proven to be totally ineffective. In Mohamed’s name, I am fighting for the NYPD to be eliminated as first responders to people in emotional crisis, like my son was. I do not want any other mother or family to have to face the suffering I have had to endure. I want future generations to benefit from Mohamed's legacy.

 

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