In the early morning hours of October 4, 2012, 22-year-old Army National Guard member Noel Palanco was shot and killed during a traffic stop on the Grand Central Parkway in Queens. Officers from the NYPD Emergency Service Unit stopped Palanco’s Honda Fit after reporting erratic driving and say Detective Hassan Hamdy ordered Palanco to show his hands, then fired a single shot after saying he saw Palanco reach under the seat. The shot struck Palanco in the stomach and proved fatal.

A passenger in the car told a different story, saying Palanco’s hands were on the steering wheel throughout and no weapon was found in the vehicle. The Queens District Attorney’s office opened a criminal investigation and presented the case to a grand jury; Detective Hamdy testified and was not indicted. Palanco’s family pursued a wrongful death suit that was later settled by the city for $2.5 million.

Does anyone have additional details about the traffic stop or the passenger’s account that could shed light on what happened?