US & Canada
5 December 2014
Last updated at 23:29 ET
The decision comes days after a grand jury opted against charging a New York policeman in the chokehold death of another unarmed black man, Eric Garner.
The decision has sparked protests across the country.
The US was already facing race-related unrest over the decision not to indict a white police officer who had shot dead a young black man, Michael Brown, in Ferguson, Missouri.
In New York City on Friday, protesters briefly laid down in Macy's flagship store, at Grand Central Terminal and at an Apple store.
Protesters staged a "die-in" at Macy's store in New York
Hundreds streamed along Fifth Avenue and other parts of
Manhattan, with banners and chants of "Black lives matter" and "I can't
breathe" - a reference to the words of Eric Garner as he was being
restrained by a white police officer.
In other protests on Friday:
Meanwhile, a memorial service was held for 28-year-old Akai Gurley in New York ahead of his funeral on Saturday.
Candles have been left at the housing project where Akai Gurley was shot dead
Akai Gurley's partner Kimberly Ballinger, left, has been comforted by Lesley McSpadden, mother of Michael Brown
Protests like this one in White Plains, New York, have been held across the US
Tensions are running high in New York as protests continue
Protesters are angry at the decision not to prosecute police officers
At an earlier news conference, his mother tearfully demanded justice for her son.
Speaking alongside her, Kevin Powell, president of the advocacy group BK Nation, called the shooting part of a "series of modern-day lynchings".
In announcing the grand jury - a body that determines whether to bring criminal charges - Brooklyn's District Attorney Ken Thompson said it was important to conduct a full and fair investigation.
Police say Mr Gurley and his girlfriend had opened a door into the unlit stairway and an inexperienced officer on a routine patrol fired his gun.
New York Police Commissioner William Bratton called the shooting an accident. However, the medical examiner has ruled that the death is a homicide.
Civil rights leader the Reverend Al Sharpton had initially planned to speak at Mr Gurley's memorial service but later said he would pay his respects without making an address.
Akai Gurley
UN human rights experts earlier expressed "legitimate concerns"
about US grand juries failing to charge the two policemen involved in
the deaths of Mr Garner and Mr Brown.
In a statement, UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsak, said it was part of a broader "pattern of impunity" concerning minority victims.
Following the outcry over the Garner case, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered the city's 22,000-strong police force to be retrained in how to better communicate and remain calm when making arrests. They will also be fitted with body cameras.
US President Barack Obama welcomed the move and said "too many Americans feel deep unfairness" in how the laws were applied.
Activists have called for another march in Washington on 13 December, followed by a summit on civil rights.
by Biodun Iginla, BBC News, New York
Protests have continued across the US as Laura Westbrook reports
A
US grand jury will be asked to decide whether to prosecute a New York
police officer over the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man in
Brooklyn.
Akai Gurley was shot in the chest after he entered the stairwell of his apartment building last month.The decision comes days after a grand jury opted against charging a New York policeman in the chokehold death of another unarmed black man, Eric Garner.
The decision has sparked protests across the country.
The US was already facing race-related unrest over the decision not to indict a white police officer who had shot dead a young black man, Michael Brown, in Ferguson, Missouri.
In New York City on Friday, protesters briefly laid down in Macy's flagship store, at Grand Central Terminal and at an Apple store.
Protesters staged a "die-in" at Macy's store in New York
In other protests on Friday:
- Activists marched through central Miami, Florida, and blocked a major causeway connecting Miami to Miami Beach
- Hundreds of people in Providence, Rhode Island, blocked streets and police had to stop some from walking on to Interstate 95
- Crowds of protesters in New Haven, Connecticut, marched to the courthouse
- Dozens of students from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, brought rush-hour traffic to a crawl and forced the city to postpone a tree lighting ceremony scheduled at Monument Square
- In Minneapolis, some protesters blocked traffic by marching or lying in the middle of a highway
Meanwhile, a memorial service was held for 28-year-old Akai Gurley in New York ahead of his funeral on Saturday.
Candles have been left at the housing project where Akai Gurley was shot dead
Akai Gurley's partner Kimberly Ballinger, left, has been comforted by Lesley McSpadden, mother of Michael Brown
Protests like this one in White Plains, New York, have been held across the US
Tensions are running high in New York as protests continue
Protesters are angry at the decision not to prosecute police officers
Speaking alongside her, Kevin Powell, president of the advocacy group BK Nation, called the shooting part of a "series of modern-day lynchings".
In announcing the grand jury - a body that determines whether to bring criminal charges - Brooklyn's District Attorney Ken Thompson said it was important to conduct a full and fair investigation.
Police say Mr Gurley and his girlfriend had opened a door into the unlit stairway and an inexperienced officer on a routine patrol fired his gun.
New York Police Commissioner William Bratton called the shooting an accident. However, the medical examiner has ruled that the death is a homicide.
Civil rights leader the Reverend Al Sharpton had initially planned to speak at Mr Gurley's memorial service but later said he would pay his respects without making an address.
- The 28-year-old father (daughter Akaila above) was killed in November in a Brooklyn apartment building as he walked with his girlfriend
- He was shot by a rookie New York police officer
- New York Police Commissioner William Bratton later said Gurley was a totally innocent victim
- Gurley's family have demanded justice
In a statement, UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsak, said it was part of a broader "pattern of impunity" concerning minority victims.
Following the outcry over the Garner case, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered the city's 22,000-strong police force to be retrained in how to better communicate and remain calm when making arrests. They will also be fitted with body cameras.
US President Barack Obama welcomed the move and said "too many Americans feel deep unfairness" in how the laws were applied.
Activists have called for another march in Washington on 13 December, followed by a summit on civil rights.
13%
of the US population is black-
28% of suspects arrested in the US in 2010 were black
-
32% of people killed from 2003 to 2009 in arrest-related incidents were black
-
42% of inmates on death row in 2012 were black
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