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NYPD Undercover Cop Kills Man Intervening in Drug Arrest

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #699)
Consequences of Prohibition

An NYPD undercover narcotics officer shot and killed a man who attempted to intervene during a street drug arrest Tuesday afternoon. John Collado, Sr., 43, becomes the 35th person to be killed in US domestic drug law enforcement operations so far this year, and the third in the past week.

According to police, the unidentified narc was trying to arrest a 23-year-old man selling drugs near the intersection of Post Avenue and Dyckman Street, when Collado intervened, putting the officer in a choke hold before the officer fired once, striking Collado in the abdomen. He died in a local hospital hours later.

In another report, police said the officer was breaking up a drug deal between Collado and the young man. "As the officer tried to arrest one of the suspects... the other suspect put the officer in a chokehold," that report said.

But Collado's son, John Collado, Jr., told New York City media outlets that his father was not involved in a drug deal. Instead, said Collado, Jr., he and his father were just walking by when they saw someone they knew being assaulted by an unidentified person.

"My dad's not a moron," he said. "If he would have identified himself as a cop, my dad would have stopped. He got shot in the stomach, trying to stop an unidentified cop in a scuffle with a civilian, a kid I grew up with, my dad's neighbor. He went to break it up, the cops shot him in the stomach, and he's in trauma," he said Tuesday. "They won't let me know anything that's going on."

NYPD said that the officer identified himself.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

Nancy (not verified)

Collado was raised on Post Avenue.  We were like a family and he got along with everyone always joked around with everyone.  He was not a drug dealer nor a drug addict.  He died trying to defend his neighbor who was in trouble, he would of done the same for anyone else.  Today we mourn Collado an innocent man has died.

Thu, 09/08/2011 - 12:22am Permalink
Steve Newcomb (not verified)

Just yell, "I'm an undercover cop, and this person is resisting arrest."  Nobody who wants to remain alive will intervene in your crime.  You don't need a uniform in order to make a credible claim that you are acting under color of law.  Everybody is credible, because undercover cops are, by their very nature, not identifiable as such, and there are many undercover cops.

When somebody is being beaten, you can't tell whether the beater is a cop or not.  As a citizen committed to supporting law and order, your best course is to whip out your cell phone and record everything that happens -- from a relatively safe distance, and as discreetly as possible.  If the victim survives (sorry if he/she doesn't survive, but that's where we are, now), and if you have the patience to file a complaint and to see it all the way through (get a good lawyer; start by calling the ACLU), the victim *may* get justice, regardless of whether the beater is or is not in fact a cop.  Somehow, you will probably pay a price for doing this good deed (as one quick-thinking, cell-phone-wielding Rochester NY resident recently discovered), and no one will thank you for doing it, but it's still the right thing -- the freedom-loving American-values thing -- to do.

 

 

 

 

Thu, 09/08/2011 - 11:55am Permalink
Nedmorlef (not verified)

In reply to by Steve Newcomb (not verified)

I caught the top cop in the county doing some night time peeping. As I pondered what to do I found K-9 units on my property and spent the subsequent decade being harassed to the point of my constitutional & civil rights being violated.

I reported the guy to every agency I could and I filed a complaint against him through a lawyer. The result was 2 dead dogs,vandalized home,land and automobiles, the loss of several jobs and being followed everywhere I go and having all my relationships and activities scrutinized ....and it hasn't ever stopped. This started in 1999! The guy isn't even in office anymore and I'm still terrorized when the sun goes down to this day.

I hate to say it but, cops are evil. There may be a good one here and there but, the cops here are insane. There's no way they could do the things they do to me for as long as they have been doing them for no more reason than they've been doing them and maintain any level of sanity.

Even though I have filed official complaints about these activities, I can't tell you all the things that, have been done to me by these cops for revenge because, my posts will be removed. I guess Mr Borden doesn't want that liability.

and no. You wont draw a gun on them or defend your property or do anything about it or you'll end up just like these people in this article....cold.. They want you to draw a weapon so, they can come after you legally in broad daylight. Instead of hit & run in the dark.

 

 It's like seeing someone fall into a pit of Gators. You want to help them but, if you do you'll get eaten too.

Thu, 09/08/2011 - 3:47pm Permalink
Uraduechbag (not verified)

In reply to by Steve Newcomb (not verified)

It is completely idiotic to think that will help u obviously have never seen a fight or jumping go wrong. Personally I have carried and taken friends that were stabbed, shot and literally beaten to death without weapons costing thousands in reconstructive surgery and I live in a small town simply video taping it will make u the next victim so america don't be like this deuch
Sat, 09/10/2011 - 2:09am Permalink
friend (not verified)

It is unbelievable to me how these lies get published.. John Collado was NOT involved in a drug deal!  Nor did he know that the man who shot him was a cop.  John Collado went to the aid of a neighbor who was yelling "help."  What people should be asking is why was this undercover cop alone??????? Why couldnt he just say he was a cop????? The only people saying he identified himself as a cop are the cops themselves.  Because ALL WITNESSES are stating otherwise! This is a tragedy! And whats worse is that reporters are printing things without doing the research the way reporters are supposed to do.. Journalism is in the toilet these days!  John Collado was a good citizen, father, brother, son, grandfather, neighbor and friend.  It amazes me that reporters will print anything to get a read.  Get your facts straight and ask the questions!  This was an innocent man who is now dead! He cannot speak for himself yet many cops seem to be talking when they werent even there.. Only one cop was.. why???????  John Collado tried to break up a fight.. He was never told that one of the guys was a cop.. He was NOT part of a drug deal! He was NOT interfering in a drug deal!  He was defending someone and has now lost his life.. Seems to me the police should be asking the undercover cop why he was all alone for a supposed drug bust.. and WHY he didnt simply come out and say "Im a cop.:"

 

Thu, 09/08/2011 - 7:23pm Permalink
Constitution (not verified)

 The cop may have been a user. He may have been abusing his power to stick up low level dealers. Thats the only reason I can come up with as far as 1 "undercover cop" being completely alone on a sting operation. It smells of shit and the nypd are covering. They lie to avoid civil unrest and the consequences of a possible riot. The truth may come out later, once the public calms down and they think the chance for violence against them (nypd) is passed. Heaven forbid they be held accountable to the public!! After all they just enforce the law they dont have to obey it!! Especially when they have other cops and city attorneys willing to lie, and police investigating their brothers (other police). I mean what could possibly be wrong with that?

Sun, 09/11/2011 - 7:26am Permalink
Face the truth (not verified)

People are always looking to find blame and injustice whenever Something like this happens. But, the problem is that they choose to overlook certain factors that contributed to the final outcome. Mr. Collado was terminated from one of his prior jobs due to drug dealing. There is a prior history of delinquency and illegal behavior. In fact, the person he sold the drugs to ended up overdosing. No, im sorry. John collado was no innocent bystander trying to help out a friend. From what has been said, he was helping an associate. So, as unfortunate as the final outcome may be, i find it hard to sit by and see a cop get into trouble, not just because he was doing his sworn duty, but also because he was trying to protect himself. So, to the family of John Collado, it is unfortunate that things ended up the way they did but looking into making a quick buck by way of lawsuit isn't going to make this right or change the outcome!!!
Sat, 12/03/2011 - 3:58pm Permalink
Wash Heights r… (not verified)

Cops rarely identify themselves if they are undercover. These cops pulled up on me and said "get in the van". I ran and they chased me down and only then identified themselves. I took them to the CCRB and they got reprimanded. They are scumbags that abuse their power. They have high school degrees and are given guns. They are morons that shouldn't have this power.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:48am Permalink

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