Woman Calls NYPD Cop Trigger-Happy

BRONX (CN) - A Bronx woman claims a "psychologically unfit" sergeant shot a gun near her ear for no reason at a Halloween party last year, causing her "permanent hearing loss."

In her claim in New York County Court Ruth Otero says she "has been employed as a court officer for the last ten years." Otero says she was invited to a Halloween party organized by the NYPD at a South Bronx bar called the Gallery Lounge. At the party, she says, she was seated next to NYPD Sgt. Peter Keneyasu.

She claims that at 2 minutes after midnight, "Sergeant Peter Keneyasu pulled out his department-issued firearm from his waistband and without any provocation from anyone discharged said firearm more than three times ... . (T)he discharge of said firearm threw everyone into a state of panic and a fear of being shot or killed."

Otero claims that an Internal Affairs Bureau investigation revealed that Keneyasu had had his gun taken from him twice before "because of psychological problems."

Otero sued Keneyasu, the city, the mayor and the police commissioner for negligence and assault and battery. She is represented by Emmanuel Roy.

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