Police Mistakenly Label 15-Year-Old as Murder Suspect, Refuse to Issue Retraction
A Brooklyn teenager’s life was turned upside down after the New York Police Department (NYPD) wrongly accused him of a mass shooting at the West Indian American Day Parade. The 15-year-old, Camden Lee, was shocked to see his own face on NYPD social media, labeled as a wanted suspect in a shooting that killed one person and injured four others.
“I see the NYPD logo. I see me. I see ‘suspect wanted for murder,’” Lee recalled. “I couldn’t believe what was happening. Then everything went blurry.”
While the NYPD privately backtracked on their accusation, they have not issued a public retraction, leaving Lee and his family in danger.
Surveillance Image Led to False Accusation
Lee had attended the annual Labor Day celebration of Caribbean culture on September 4, 2023, after leaving football practice. Gunfire erupted nearby, and his friend was grazed in the shoulder. Surveillance cameras captured Lee looking down in shock as he witnessed the chaos.
Two weeks later, on September 19, police posted the image, declaring that Lee had “discharged a firearm.” His mother, Chee Chee Brock, immediately contacted an attorney, Kenneth Montgomery, who arranged a meeting with detectives.
At that meeting, police admitted Lee was not a suspect and removed the image from their social media accounts—but without a public statement, the damage had already been done.
A Life Changed by One Photo
By the time the NYPD deleted their post, news stations and social media users had already spread the image. Online sleuths began tracking down Lee’s social media accounts, bombarding him with death threats.
“He about to get found quick,” one comment read. Another simply said: “He done.” Others tagged the family of Denzel Chan, the 25-year-old man killed in the shooting, fueling fears of retaliation.
With gang violence a real concern, Brock moved her son and daughters to a relative’s home outside the city. Lee missed weeks of school, damaging his grades. Even after returning home, his mother no longer allows him to go outside alone.
“As a mom, the No. 1 thing I’m scared of is losing my kids to the streets or the jail system,” Brock said. “So he doesn’t have freedom now. When he goes to the corner store, I time him.”
NYPD’s History of Misinformation Under Scrutiny
The NYPD has faced mounting criticism for its handling of social media communications. In this case, the department has refused to explain how the error occurred or how they plan to prevent similar mistakes.
“There’s tremendous pressure on the NYPD to serve up results in a high-profile shooting like this,” said Wylie Stecklow, a civil rights attorney representing Lee’s family. “The fact that they’ve failed to explain how this mistake was made, and how they’ll avoid it in the future, is deeply troubling.”
This is not the first time NYPD officials have spread misinformation. Chief of Department John Chell previously misidentified a judge in a social media post, which was later deleted. A recent report from the city’s Department of Investigation criticized the NYPD for “irresponsible and unprofessional” use of social media, calling for stricter policies on public posts.
Lee Still Living in Fear
Months later, the damage remains. In December, police increased the reward for information on the actual shooter to $10,000. However, because they never officially cleared Lee’s name, many media outlets mistakenly recirculated his image.
“For the photo to come out again, it brought it all back to the start,” Lee said. “My mom was just thinking of letting me go on the train again.”
Now 16, Lee struggles with paranoia and anxiety. He avoids going out and considers changing his appearance to avoid recognition.
“It takes me to a dark place,” he said. “I don’t feel like myself anymore. I don’t have the opportunity to explain my side of the story. Everyone is so fixed on this one image of me: murderer.”
