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New York Attorney General Letitia James released NYPD body-worn camera videos and security camera footage on Tuesday that her office obtained as part of its ongoing investigation into the police-involved shooting death of Emil Williams, a physician’s assistant from Great Neck, LI, who was fatally shot on Feb. 18, following an encounter with NYPD officers in front of the 111th Precinct in Bayside.At around 6:40 p.
m. on Feb. 18, the 79-year-old Williams walked into the parking area next to the 111th Precinct at 45-06 215th St.
while holding a firearm.A police officer standing at the doorway to the station house repeatedly ordered Williams to drop the gun while he called inside for backup. Williams did not comply.
Four officers fired their service weapons in response, striking him multiple times in the chest.They then performed CPR until EMS arrived on the scene. The senior was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
[caption id="attachment_515804" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Police-involved shooting of 79-year-old outside Bayside precinct in February. Photo by Czarinna Andres[/caption]Officers recovered a loaded Cobra. 38 special handgun at the scene.
The Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) released footage from body-worn cameras that officers were equipped with during the fatal shooting and video from a precinct surveillance camera.The release of this footage follows Attorney General James’ directive that camera footage obtained by her office during an OSI investigation be released to the public to increase transparency and strengthen public trust in these matters, according to her office.Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission.
Under the law, the officer may have been on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.
The release of the footage is not an expression as to the guilt or innocence of any party in a criminal matter or any opinion as to how or whether any individual may be charged with a crime..
