"It's hard to have fun nowadays, that's sad, but that's the way it is here," said one grandmother who had known Nicholas since his birth. "It's a shooting gallery here. You can't put blame on either side. The officer was as scared as the kids."

Chief Leake said Officer George, who had worked at the Gowanus Houses as the project community officer since February 1993, had responded to a call of shots fired at 6:40 P.M. at 417 Baltic, one of the towers across the quadrangle. It was the second report of shots fired in less than 15 minutes. While on the roof there, the chief said, Officer George saw the boys on the roof of 423 Baltic.

According to housing officers who have worked at Gowanus Houses, the roofs of the building are often the site of youths firing guns for "target practice." A window that looks out on the roof of 423 Baltic is riddled with bullet holes.

Officer George entered 423 Baltic and signed the log book overseen by the resident on tenant patrol duty, according to Chief Leake as well as the tenant patrol person, Virl Kelley. Officer George eventually made it to the 14th floor and began to approach the cramped 12-step staircase leading to the roof. The space is lit by a fluorescent fixture at the base of the stairs, as well as another at the top by the roof door.

"They saw each other almost simultaneously," said Chief Leake, who indicated he believed the three other boys with toy guns were in sight crowded behind Nicholas. "We can all imagine if we were suddenly confronted with a gun. The natural reaction is to protect yourself."

Chief Leake said he believed Officer George had his gun out as he approached the staircase and said that was not considered a violation of police procedure. Housing police officials said last night that Officer George had no record of complaints made against him, and that he had never before been involved in a shooting incident of any kind.

"I would say it was prudent to unholster my weapon if I was on patrol approaching that roof," said Chief Leake.