In the early morning hours of Mother’s Day 2024, the NYPD killed my only son, Christin Emile, by shooting him six times in the back. This Mother’s Day, I ask the Mamdani administration to step in where institutions have repeatedly failed grieving parents like me before more lives are lost.
When the attorney general’s office investigated my son’s death, it confirmed that police shot Christin entirely from behind. It confirmed the first shot was fired at the same time a taser was deployed, allowing no time for compliance. It also confirmed that the NYPD alone fired shots that night — killing Christin, shooting a bystander, and unleashing a hail of bullets that blew out storefront windows and flew into apartment buildings on a residential street in Brooklyn.
Still, against the weight of this evidence, the AG declined to press charges, just like the office has in nearly all cases it investigates in which the victim was killed by police. This news was delivered to my family while AG Tish James stumped for our support for her against the Trump administration and its attempts to “avoid accountability.”
The Civilian Complaint Review Board investigated too — before informing us by letter that it found the NYPD’s conduct in shooting Christin consistent with NYPD protocol and would not proceed on the most serious charges against them. The letter was addressed to Christin, misspelled his name, and thanked him for his testimony.
The NYPD’s killing of my son shattered our family, left his four children without a father, seriously injured another person, forced traumatized bystanders to take cover, and put an entire neighborhood at risk. This is not what community safety looks like.
Earlier this year, I joined other impacted families in meeting with Mayor Mamdani to discuss urgent changes needed to ensure accountability and safety for New Yorkers. I left that meeting feeling cautiously optimistic — and still feel that way. But the time for action is now.
This administration must ensure the appointment of leadership committed to upholding the good work of decent police officers without overlooking the harm others have caused. It is critical not only that wrongdoers are held accountable, but that accountability will be swift and certain for those who abuse their power.
The NYPD members responsible for killing my son — specifically Brian Mejia-Morel — must be fired, along with those who remain employed after wrongfully killing other New Yorkers. We must end the NYPD’s practice of issuing so-called “good guy” letters to former NYPD members credibly accused of wrongdoing, as they allow former officers to circumvent gun control laws.
Body-worn camera activation requirements must come with meaningful enforcement against those who fail to comply. And appointed officials charged with investigating and making decisions concerning NYPD misconduct — from those leading the NYPD to the CCRB to the city’s Law Department — must demonstrate a true commitment to public safety for all New Yorkers or be replaced.
While these are only first steps toward safety and building trust, they are both within this administration’s power to implement and urgently needed.
Too many families like mine have been stuck in a cycle of institutional inaction, cowardice, and finger-pointing. We have been forced to be brave while our leaders fail to do the same.
If love alone could have saved my son, he would still be with us. Instead, I will continue to fight in his name to ensure that more mothers, families, and loved ones never know this pain. This Mother’s Day, I ask that our leaders honor grieving mothers by delivering justice and a safer tomorrow for all New Yorkers.
Woolard’s son, Christin Emile, was killed by the NYPD on Mother’s Day 2024.