NEW YORK — A memorial service was held on Saturday in Upper Manhattan for a man shot and killed by an NYPD officer a little over 11 years ago.
A celebration honoring John Collado was held at the intersection of Dyckman Street and Post Avenue in Inwood. The street was renamed in his honor.
In 2011, a Bronx police officer dressed in plain clothes was the one who shot and murdered Collado. When Officer James Connolly opened fire, he was trying to break up an altercation between two other people.
According to Collado’s nephew, his uncle was compassionate, full of love, and a well-liked community member.
Read more: Despite Complaints About Her Loud Music, a Woman Allegedly Stabbed and Killed Her Neighbor
“That is quite important to me. I’ve been working really hard to get someone held accountable for what happened in September of 2011 when it happened to John Collado, and I’ve been telling the whole world about it.
He intended to do the right thing by breaking up a brawl, but instead, he ended up taking his own life in the process. It was important to him to share his love with others, and that’s how I’m feeling now. I’m experiencing a flood of love right now, “Joshua Lopez added.
Read more: New York’s Illegal Marijuana Dispensaries Are the Target of a Proposed Crackdown
In 2019, the city settled a federal lawsuit for $5.5 million over allegations that Connolly had used an excessive amount of force.
In November of 2022, Connolly took his retirement from the New York Police Department.
