Rocco Parascandola and John Annese
New York Daily News
NEW YORK — Two NYPD cops have been stripped of their shields and guns over accusations they shared shocking surveillance video showing the shootout inside a Bronx stationhouse, police sources said Monday.
Brian Wilkens and Paul Brauer, both assigned to Manhattan’s Midtown South Precinct, were placed on modified duty for “accessing and disseminating” video from the weekend’s anti-cop violence, sources said. The video ended up passed around among many cops and leaked to the media.
Robert Williams, a 45-year-old parolee, allegedly walked up to a police vehicle on Simpson St. near E. 163rd St. Saturday night and opened fire, hitting Officer Paul Straffolino in the neck and chin, cops said. The officer survived the ambush.
The next morning, Williams walked into the 41st Precinct and started shooting, hitting Lt. Jose Gautreaux in the left arm, then threw himself on the floor to surrender after he ran out of bullets, the video shows.
“We have an ongoing investigation into the leaking of the video from inside the 41st Precinct,” a police official said.
It’s possible for officers in any precinct to access surveillance video from inside any other precinct, a tool which could help any number of investigations if used properly, police sources said.