Pubdate: Fri, 03 May 2002
Source: New York Post (NY)
Copyright: 2002 N.Y.P. Holdings, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nypost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/296
Authors: Bridget Harrison, Kirsten Danis, Philip Messing and Todd Venezia
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids)

BLOOMBERG BACKS G-MAN IN SLAYING OF DRUG SUSPECT

Mayor Bloomberg yesterday backed the DEA agent who shot a drug suspect in 
Brooklyn on Tuesday, saying he "acted appropriately" when he pulled the 
trigger - but that didn't mollify Egbert Dewgard's heartbroken kin, who 
called the agent a "murderer."

Dewgard's family disagreed, and has already met with the Rev. Al Sharpton, 
who is pledging to "stand by the family" in a reprise of his 1998 support 
of the family of Amadou Diallo.

"It was plain murder," said Dewgard's sister Diane, who gathered with other 
grieving family members at the dead man's East Flatbush home yesterday. 
"Whatever they did went wrong. Now they are making up lies to cover it up."

The family's outrage was fueled by accounts of witnesses, who said Dewgard 
was unarmed and shot in the back by a DEA agent at New York and Foster 
avenues in Brooklyn.

According to the DEA, Dewgard was holding three kilos of cocaine and was 
shot after fleeing in his car and struggling with the agent.

The DEA and the Brooklyn DA's office are probing the case. Yesterday, DEA 
head Asa Hutchinson met with Bloomberg. Afterward, Bloomberg said the NYPD, 
which was also part of the drug operation, will "cooperate" in the 
investigation "but there's no evidence that any procedures were incorrectly 
followed."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom