Mayor de Blasio postpones Italy vacation by one day

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The first family of New York City will now leave Saturday for their 10-day trip to Italy instead of Friday.

Mayor Bill de Blasio's press secretary released a statement saying, "The Mayor will postpone the departure for his upcoming family vacation to Saturday, in order to attend to City business. Updates to the Mayor's schedule will be provided as they become available."

The mayor's announcement came shortly after he addressed the Thursday death of a Staten Island man in police custody.

Mayoral aides say de Blasio wanted to stay overnight to consult with officials and community leaders about Eric Garner's death.

De Blasio noted that plans were in place, and the father of two portrayed his trip as a meaningful time for his family to spend together exploring his roots by visiting his grandparents' hometown.

"This is the first time the family's been able to go away together for a week in a couple of years, and it's a very important moment for us," he said Thursday.

As for de Blasio, he said he's not certain whether he'll plan another vacation this year.

"We have a lot of work to do," he said, "and I don't usually get to take a lot of vacation."

(Some information from the Associated Press)