A lawyer for the New York City police detective who shot and killed an unarmed man during a traffic stop says he thought the man was reaching for a gun.
Detective Hassan Hamdy shot 22-year-old Noel Polanco early Thursday near LaGuardia Airport. No weapon was found in Polanco's car.
Lawyer Philip Karasyk tells The New York Times that Polanco did not comply with Hamdy's orders to put his hands up.
Karasyk said that instead, Polanco reached down to the floor of the car "in a quick motion."
A front-seat passenger in Polanco's car has disputed that account. The passenger, Diane Deferrari, told investigators that Polanco had no time to comply with orders to put his hands up.
The Police Department and the Queens district attorney are investigating the shooting.
