UPDATE: According to Katherine Carter, spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the police officer involved in the shooting of DeFarra Gaymon is being debriefed this afternoon. Details to be posted as they become available.
DeFarra Gaymon, the man shot to death by an undercover detective in Newark’s Branch Brook Park on Friday night, had a solid career and a college education. Dean Gaymon, as he was known, was the CEO of the Credit Union of Atlanta. He was also a member of the Montclair High School Class of 1980.
The news release from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office indicated that Gaymon, a Georgia resident, was in town for a “social event.” Several entries on Gaymon’s Facebook wall make it pretty evident what that social event was, the Montclair High School All-Class Reunion. He didn’t live to make it. He was pronounced dead shortly after 9 p.m.
He had apparently been looking forward to it for months.
On a website for the Credit Union Executives Society, Gaymon talked with pride about how he came to be a credit union executive:
My name is DeFarra, and I am CUES.
I started my career in the banking industry, working as a teller throughout college. Upon graduation, I got into my bank’s management training program and then continued to move up the ranks within the banking industry, in the areas of customer service, business development and commercial lending.
In the early ’90′s, banks suffered from a recession, similar to today’s situation, which afforded me a new opportunity. I came across what was called a credit union–not knowing exactly what a credit union was. After doing some extensive research, I realized that credit unions sounded better than banks, as they relate to people-helping-people. I entered the credit union movement as VP of lending at Palmetto Health Credit Union in Columbia, S.C.
The detective who shot Gaymon in the chest was called to the park to investigate a complaint of sexual activity in public, according to the prosecutor. The shooting is being investigated and the results of that investigation will eventually be turned over to a grand jury.
Last Wednesday, a Newark man was shot and killed by detectives in the South Ward. In June, a 19-year-old Newark man was shot and killed by police.
Gaymon was 48.
Like any death, this is tragic. One side or the other has done something terribly wrong, either by accident or with intent. This warrants investigation.
The Barista has been busy with the gum-shoe Google reporting.
This isn’t tragic like any death, this is particularly tragic, and bizarre.
it’s hard to imagine a scenario where sexual activity in a park legitimately ends with being shot by the police. (not impossible, but troubling) Why is there still yet no information on this case? Is there even a fourth estate anymore?
This is just so sad….Why was this poor man shot? It is hard to believe that he could have been doing anything that warranted that..
There’s a big puzzle piece (or several) missing from this story. Like ROC, I wonder what kind of sexual activity (unless it’s an armed rape) would warrant being shot to death. Those who provided the information to the press are not doing themselves justice by leaving out critical pieces of information.
Tragic, nonetheless.
If the cops screwed up, that’s a big reason why there is precious little information. They’re not exactly going to advertise that they goofed, and it’ll take them a few days to get their stories straight before they present a unified front to the media.
Oh, no, Nick. The cop was “shaken up” and had to be medicated. That’s why prosecutors haven’t been able to interview him yet.
How often is an undercover detective rushed to a hospital after using a gun? There is much more to this story.
From just the information that is out there, at this time, I’d say the shooter needs a desk job, or to be fired, so he cannot fire again.
From his writing, the dead man seems educated, and well spoken too. What the heck could he possibly have been doing, to warrant being shot to death?
Somebody is BOOM BOOM happy.
Agreed. Strange circumstances. Speculation is idle, but most after dark park visitors aren’t there for the birdwatching.
He was shot at 6pm – sun still above the horizon cncrnd. Need to get your facts straight and forgo the assumptions.
“…but most after dark park visitors aren’t there for the birdwatching.”
But they still don’t deserve to be shot. I sometimes run in Verona Park after dark with my husband. So not everyone who visits a park in the evening is up to no good.
6 pm is after dark on daylight savings time? Where have I been all my life? He could have been jogging, or walking reminiscing about growing up there.
There is nothing inherently suspicious about being in a public park friday evening, fully 2 and a half hours before the sun sets.
He was shot at 6 pm?! At this time of year, that’s still broad daylight…
The Newark cops got *a lot* of ‘splaining to do. And what a sad day for Mr. Gaymon’s family–someone on the other thread posted that he was married with 4 kids.
OK, illicit sex or drugs, the exposure of which is less than desireable from either a career or family perspective. More to the story, but I’ll bet this is where it starts. Stay tuned.
We do not yet know what happened in this case. Why does this man’s profession change everyone’s opinion about the shooting?
The fatal shooting of *anyone* by police requires thorough investigation and disclosure; but there is not enough information here to draw any conclusions. Also, why is there so much hostility toward a cop who may have had no choice but to use deadly force, and was traumatized as a result?
The fact that this man was a CEO and educated does not mean that there was no chance that he did something to provoke the officer to act as he did.
There’s something about this story that makes me mildly obsessive. If I were a reporter I’d be all over it.
He was the chair of the Montclair all-class reunion for which he was in town:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=129387526653&ref=search
Monty,
the fact that the “story” is not yet out is an early indicator of where this is headed. It’s true we don’t know anything and I am not hostile to the cop involved, but I’m highly suspicious. If Gaymon had done something clearly warranting deadly force, I think we’d have heard the details soon after.
From his writing, the dead man seems educated, and well spoken too. What the heck could he possibly have been doing, to warrant being shot to death?
Like monty, I’m amused by the folks who think something’s up because of the victim’s education and employment.
So if the victim were unemployed like 20% of the nation and had not finished high school…what?…he would have had it coming?
Sorry to rile everybody up and thanks for the update on when the summer sunset occurs. I regularly run in Brookdale Park myself, although mostly during daylight hours. Before that, I ran regularly around Central Park at night. Since I confine my activities to the pursuit of exercise, and as such have never solicited either sex nor drugs, I’ve never had occasion to interact with the police in their official capacity.
monty, his profession doesn’t change everything… but while we’re sadly accustomed to hearing about gangbangers killing each other or being shot by cops in Newark, it *is* shocking that an accomplished professional family man who was in town to chair a school reunion–and who visited a picturesque park during daylight hours–somehow found himself in a position to be shot in the chest by an undercover detective.
I’ll add that in the original news item (and there haven’t been any updates), it says that the detective was in the area investigating reports of public sexual activity. It’s not even clear whether this was ongoing, or whether he was called there about a specific complaint around the time Gaymon was there.
I agree with ROC–it is highly suspicious that the NPD has blocked all details about the shooting. They most certainly wouldn’t stay mum to protect the victim’s reputation, as cncrnd seems to imply above.
“Since I confine my activities to the pursuit of exercise, and as such have never solicited either sex nor drugs, I’ve never had occasion to interact with the police in their official capacity.”
But why assume this about the victim? We simply don’t know.
It is highly unusual to read about “a CEO” as a possible victim of police misconduct, although no one knows enough to conclude that the police were or were not justified in their actions.
To that end, his occupation and position are relevant to the story.
Often when someone in the news is identified as a CEO, he is portrayed as making excessive profits, taking home too much pay, or cruelly and heartlessly laying off workers. Maybe even doing all three at once.
It should not take a homicide to illustrate how certain classes are often subject to journalistic biases.
I won’t speculate on what he was doing at the time. I’ll just observe that he was a CEO.
Occam’ Razor
That would be Occam’s Razor. Using my Appl Keyboar
Ummmm, Occam’s razor essentially states that all things being equal, one should choose the explanation for an event that requires the fewest assumptions. And you’re making a huge leap here in your reasoning.
Nobody is saying that the detective who shot this man necessarily did wrong. We’re saying it looks very suspicious that Gaymon was shot and killed on Friday and the cops have not released any meaningful information about why.
It would have been nice for so many posting above to have refrained from comment until some actual facts about this matter have been supplied. (And how does one ascertain from a Facebook page that someone was actually “well-spoken?”)
But no, and instead we get idle (so far) suspicion upon suspicion. Along with no real journalistic assistance from the Baristas.
Nor is it necessarily suspicious that the police have been slow to comment themselves so far.
As for someone’s comment that the deceased “was a CEO,” so was Vito Genovese. Really, enough with the assumptions. Even with the rush to judgment that the police were absolutely in the wrong here. No one knows at this point.
Nor, oddly, do there seem to be any posts above yet from people from MHS who actually knew DeFarra Gaymon, who might thus have expected and looked forward to seeing him at the reunion. (Which may, however, be more a reflection on Baristanet’s actual audience reach than anything else.)
Does Occam’s Razor really apply here? There’s just too little information here and too many unknowns.
“The man, only identified as the suspect in an ongoing Sheriff‚Äôs Office investigation, was shot once in the chest by an undercover detective and rushed into surgery at University Hospital, according to Ambrose. He was pronounced dead around 9 p.m., Ambrose said.
The detective was not shot, but he was also taken to University Hospital because he was ‘shaken up,’ Ambrose said. It was not immediately clear if the suspect approached the detective or pointed a weapon at him before he was shot, according to Ambrose.
Details were thin because the detective was still being treated at the hospital late tonight and was unable to be interviewed by investigators, Ambrose said.”
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/07/sheriffs_officer_critically_wo.html
cathar–to your point, there are numerous comments after the S-L story from people who knew the victim. All along the lines of this one:
“Defarra was a very dear family member of ours. And the uncertainty about what transpired before the shooting of our cousin is deeply upsetting. Our family is in desperate need of answers as to why he was taken from us. He was a loving husband and father. He was here from GA to attend his high school reunion. So, the possibility of Defarra having a weapon on him while in the park we believe is HIGHLY unlikely. AGAIN, we as a family are demanding answers as to why he was shot. The fact that no explanation from the officer has been released is puzzling and in fact angering to our family. Defarra can no longer speak on his behalf . So, now we as his family come forward and ask ‘why?’”
I’ve known Defarra and his family all my life. He was an intelligent, loving husband and father. There isn’t an aggressive bone in his body. For what ever reason he was in that park in broad daylight, he did not deserve to be shot. There is no coincidence that no further information has been given yet. This is a horrific tradgedy that can not be undone, and his family will suffer the consequences forever.
I live in Defarras community, and this is a great loss. He was such a pleasure to be around. He is married with 4 children whose privacy must be respected at a time like this. The community is coming together to ensure that the family is comforted during this difficult time.
Defarra, you will be missed, but never forgotten. Thank you for all the time you gave to your son and his friends…my son truly appreciates it…for the family, be strong. I hope you all get answers soon.
God Bless.
On the surface, it seems that this poor guy was in town for his high school reunion and got shot…I’m less apt to think he was involved in something illegal because he didn’t live around here…That is what sways my opinion that the cop misjudged the situation. not the victim’s job.
That being said, I know I may be way off and may be surprised when the facts come out (if they ever do).
It’s too bad that the police can’t do as good a job of selection and training as they do erecting stone walls.
I do hope that a bight light shines on this event until there’s a story that makes some sense.
For anyone familiar with the history of homophobic violence directed by law enforcement agents towards gay men, it seems to me to be very easy indeed to imagine a scenario where sexual activity in a public park ends (albeit not ‘legitimately’) with being shot or otherwise tortured by the police.
Without facts, it’s easy to imagine all sorts of things.
Kate, that article is dated Friday.
What I specifically asked, katebirdrex, was why there were apparently no comments on THIS sagelike web site by anyone who might have known him or awaited his appearance at the reunion. Only then did a few comments appear on-cue, mirabile dictu. That certainly seems curiously timed to me. (Why would someone who claims to live in Defarra’s “community” even have heard of Baristanet? And he or she was posting to console everyone else? I don’t know here…)
Of course, too, the paucity of actual information available didn’t stop reliably febrile Courson from posting as “knowingly” on such things as he usually does. Nor did the post of someone who claims to have known Defarra noting that he apparently had four children stop good ol’ Courson from conspiracy mutterings about police homophobia. He even throws in the loaded word “tortured” as an extra verbal fillip for the easily misled amongst us!
Again, all is guesswork above. All I have really learned to date about this matter is that a man is dead and, somewhat repellently, Facebook is now being used as a means of tossing “information” to the spuriously hungry.
Tragic. My sympathies to his family/friends/co-workers. Senseless. May he rest in peace.
Branch Brook Park History
Branch Brook Park also known as “lovers lane”. Famous for sexual activities happening but often overlooked by officials. However, it is also a very popular cruising spot for gay men for over 40 years. 10 years ago or so they raided the park and had every married man’s mug shots on the cover of the Belleville Times (the park borders Belleville/Newark). Cops have always been harsh on the gay activities in this park. I really do smell a hate crime and the whole story is just way too sad, can someone say ACLU?
Branch Brook Park History
Branch Brook Park also known as “lovers lane”. Famous for sexual activities happening but often overlooked by officials. However, it is also a very popular cruising spot for gay men for over 40 years. 10 years ago or so they raided the park and had every married man’s mug shots on the cover of the Belleville Times (the park borders Belleville/Newark). Cops have always been harsh on the gay activities in this park. I really do smell a hate crime and the whole story is just way too sad, can someone say ACLU?
Branch Brook Park History
Branch Brook Park also known as “lovers lane”. Famous for sexual activities happening but often overlooked by officials. However, it is also a very popular cruising spot for gay men for over 40 years. 10 years ago or so they raided the park and had every married man’s mug shots on the cover of the Belleville Times (the park borders Belleville/Newark). Cops have always been harsh on the gay activities in this park. I really do smell a hate crime and the whole story is just way too sad, can someone say ACLU?
I was sad to read in today’s paper about the tragic shooting of DeFarra Gaymon, who was in town for the reunion. It sounds like it was a terrible error on the part of the police, and my thougths are with his friends and family. What a tragedy. RIP. To those horrible unsympathetic posters (on NJ.Com) I guess no tragedies have ever touched your family- lucky you.
Why was he at Branch Brook Park?
It is troubling to me that this is a question and indictment of Mr. Gaymon. Some commentors in the S-L and here have speculated that he was looking for drugs or sex. Maybe he was walking around a park that held special memories for him; or maybe he was looking at the trees?
I frequently stop at parks or open space areas and walk around looking at plants. So I guess when some trigger happy cop shots me, the speculation will be I was up to no-good–drugs or sex or something nefarious (not that drugs and sex are bad).
For whatever reason Mr. Gaymon was in the park–in broad daylight and apparently unarmed–he should not be dead today at the hands of a law enforcement officer.
Sandy,
“From his writing, the dead man seems educated, and well spoken too. What the heck could he possibly have been doing, to warrant being shot to death?
Somebody is BOOM BOOM happy.”
While it does seem like the police officer did something very wrong, being educated and well spoken does note mean you are beyond committing a crime.
Sandy,
“From his writing, the dead man seems educated, and well spoken too. What the heck could he possibly have been doing, to warrant being shot to death?
Somebody is BOOM BOOM happy.”
While it does seem like the police officer did something very wrong, being educated and well spoken does note mean you are beyond committing a crime.
I knew this man. His name was Defarra, but we all called him Dean. Yes, he was well educated and a respected professional. He was also a kind, funny, caring person. He adored his wife and four beautiful children. We don’t know as of yet what actually happened, but we do know he will be missed by many! My prayers are with his family!
I knew Dean and I am not familiar with this site. I was searching to see if there were any updates on what actually happened. I felt the need on his behalf to tell a little about him. He was a friend and he will be missed, especially by his wife and four children, I’m sure.
“the police officer involved in the shooting of DeFarra Gaymon is being debriefed this afternoon. Details to be posted as they become available.”
Three days?
Stinks to high heaven.
Cathar – There has been almost ZERO news reporting on this. If you do a simple Google News search on “DeFarra Gaymon”, Baristanet is one of the first links you will see. Nothing nefarious likely behind non-local friends of his finding this site.
I am pretty bewildered by the lack of news attention to this.
http://news.google.com/news/search?aq=f&pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&q=defarra+gaymon
And why is it that the Credit Union Times continues to out scoop the Star Ledger on this?
http://www.cutimes.com/News/2010/7/Pages/NJ-Prosecutor-to-Interview-Detective-Involved-in-CU-CEO-Shooting.aspx
Me too, Gator.
From the Star-Ledger’s latest:
“…Essex County authorities said Gaymon was apparently unarmed when he was shot once in the chest by the undercover detective, who has not been named, at 6 p.m. He died around 9 p.m at University Hospital in Newark…
It was the third law-enforcement related shooting in Newark in a week and the fifth in the past month. The prosecutor‚Äôs office is investigating and has so far only said that the officer encountered Gaymon when he was dispatched to the scene after complaints about sexual activity in public. Authorities are not saying what precipitated the shooting and Gaymon did not appear to be armed. The undercover sheriff’s detective has not yet provided a full statement to investigators…”
Full article: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/07/former_montclair_man_fatally_s.html#comments
If you shoot someone in the chest, you’re shooting to kill.
His family is in search of answers. I visited the family today and they are trying to cope with this tragedy. Everyone is pulling together to provide support.
Please remember, he has 4 children 15 and under that may read these comments. Please be respectful and choose your words carefully. Regardless of the situation, it is painful. I saw wife today without a husband, 4 children without a father, and 2 parents without their son. It saddens me that some people could be so cruel.
Thanks and be blessed.
Kim, it breaks my heart to think that his kids will see some of the cruel and downright vile comments some folks have made on the nj.com site and, to a somewhat lesser extent, on this one. When nameless and faceless, I guess that people feel free to reveal their true characters, no matter how ugly that may be.
My heart is with his family, and I hope they get some answers soon about what happened on Friday. It won’t bring Mr. Gaymon back, but I’m sure the agony is multiplied by all the unknowns and the stonewalling.
4.5 miles from Montclair means 0, doesn’t it ‘roo? It’s the least important point in the story, yet it’s pointed out like we’re suddenly supposed to care about being so close to branch brook park. Sensationalism at it’s worst.
So they *still* haven’t released any substantive information about what happened…. but that hasn’t stopped anonymous sources within the sheriff’s dept. from shaping the story now that they’ve had a few days to circle the wagons.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/07/credit_union_ceo_fatally_shot.html
I didn’t even know this man, and I’m livid on behalf of his family. If this was a justified shooting, the Essex Cty. Sheriff’s Dept. needs to explain how that could possibly be. There should not be this anonymous smearing of the victim without actual information.
We are now five days into this and the lack of information is really shocking. The fact that an unarmed man was shot suggests something went horribly wrong, but the silence on this from the police and the county does makes it harder and harder not to believe something is being covered up.
Agreed. And why is the Star Ledger asleep at the wheel on this? Nothing in the NYT either.
I think there is a press briefing in progress on this…Hopefully, we’ll know more soon..
Where, for that matter, is the NAACP? Or Garden State Equality? Or a dozen other groups?
There will be stories about it tonight and tomorrow, because the cops are going to make a statement today (if they haven’t already). But nobody–nobody!–has written anything about what an outrage it is that the cops have sat on this for so long. They didn’t interview the officer who shot Gaymon until yesterday!
I actually wrote to editors at the S-L and the NYT yesterday to ask why this wasn’t being covered.
The S-L editor wrote back and said “I agree things don’t add up–we’re pursuing the story” (but there’s absolutely no evidence of that so far), and the NYT never responded and hasn’t posted a word about it.
I’m not a fan of the “if it bleeds, it leads” policies of the news media, but in this case I am really shocked that this hasn’t been covered. Mr. Gaymon’s family must be frothing at the mouth–I know I would be.
While I agree ‘roo that the silence is deafening, many police departments in the US, among them NYC, Boston, and San Diego, are not permitted to interview officers who have been involved in fatal shootings for 48 hours. This restriction originated with the various officers’ unions, and is designed to prevent an emotionally distraught officer from incriminating himself or herself during an interrogation.
The scenario presented by authorities, which I just read on the other thread, sounds awfully far-fetched.
I still don’t understand how this practice still goes on today. If the interest is getting the truth then an officer involved in a shooting should be interviewed in a matter of hours after the shooting. Memories of an incident can change quickly and details forgotten. Suspects are interogated immediately, witnesses to a crime are interviewed on the scene, or in the hours following. I understand giving officers the benefit of the doubt, but there is no justifiable reason to allow them to remain silent for days after an event like this.
But we don’t let emotionally distraught suspects have 48 hours to get their story straight and keep from incriminating themselves. The collective interest is the truth, not protecting officers from having to reveal the truth.
I hope it’s not homophobia that is keeping those organizations that you mention silent on this. Today’s news conference only begs more questions and I’m surprised those groups, among others, are not asking them.
Just wondering how he was fleeing and shot in the chest? Was he fleeing from the officer OR lunging at the officer? Where are the witnesses or the supposed other party?
Regardless of what he was doing UNARMED, you arrest, not kill a SUSPECT.
RIP Defarra…you are missed!!! Your family really loves you and we’ll keep them in our prayers. When they return next week, we’ll shower them with our love. Your wife is a strong women, I admire her strength.