A New York rookie police officer who was convicted of manslaughter earlier this year in the shooting death of Akai Gurley was sentenced today (April 19) to five years’ probation and 800 hours of community service.

Peter Liang spoke before his sentencing and told Gurley’s family “the shot was an accident.”

Liang shot Gurley in a Brooklyn housing project while on a routine patrol of the area. He was surprised by the noise of a metal door while on the root of the Pink Houses in East New York. Liang let off a shot and the bullet ricocheted off a wall and struck Gurley.

Activists and community members had long been pushing for Liang to be punished and were seeking jail time. A Brooklyn District attorney, however, suggested that the incident, though tragic, was a mistake and not premeditated. Prosecutors noted Liang had no prior history of unlawful