| Nathaniel Levi Gaines | |
| Birth Date: | 1971 |
| Death Place: | New York City |
| Occupation: | Highway toll taker |
Nathaniel Levi Gaines (1971 - July 4, 1996) was an African-American resident of Yonkers, New York[1] who was fatally shot by a New York City Transit Police officer (a division of the New York City Police Department). The officer, Paolo Colecchia, was convicted of second-degree manslaughter—only the third successful homicide prosecution of a police officer in the city since 1977.[2]
Gaines was a veteran of service in the Persian Gulf War, and had no criminal record, nor any history of encounters with police or law enforcement agencies.[3]
The July 4, 1996 altercation between Gaines and police officer Paolo Colecchia, which resulted in Gaines' death,[4] occurred on the 167th Street subway station platform of the "D" line in the Bronx.[5] [6] Collechia reported after the incident that there had been a struggle between himself and Gaines in the subway station, claiming that Gaines had tried to grab his gun and push him onto the railway track. However, it became clear that the officer knew during the struggle that Gaines was not in possession of any weapon.
Due to the nature of the crime, and the fact that the officer was white and the victim black, the story caused large scale disruption and controversy across New York. As well as racial discord, there was also controversy over the actions of police officers and their conduct and the increasing number of officers accused of using excessive force.[7]
Collechia, who had a history of civilian complaints made against him to the NYPD, was sentenced to a maximum of 5–15 years in prison for homicide, the city's third police officer to be sentenced for committing the crime while on active duty.[8]