NYPD body cameras show mother pleading “Don’t shoot!” before officers kill her 19-year-old son
NEW YORK — Police officers repeatedly fired their weapons at a New York City man who had called 911 during a mental health crisis as his mother and younger brother begged officers not to shoot, according to bodycam video released Friday.
Win Rozario’s family called for the officers to be fired and charged with murder after footage of the killing was made public by the state’s attorney general.
“The released video makes it clear that Win was supposed to be alive, but the police came and killed him in our kitchen, without any care for him or us,” said a statement from Rozario’s mother, brother and father. “The police created a crisis and killed him in cold blood.”
Attorney General Letitia James released footage from body cameras worn by officers Salvatore alongi and Matthew Cianfrocco as part of an investigation into the March 27 killing at the family’s home in Queens. The Attorney General is required by law to review any fatal encounter with law enforcement.
Police commanders said at the time that officers had no choice but to shoot Rozario when he came at them with a pair of scissors.
The scene depicted in two body camera videos is more complicated.
Police arrive at the family’s home in Queens shortly before 2 p.m. and are greeted at the door by Rozario’s 17-year-old brother, who says his sibling is “having an episode” and doesn’t know what he’s doing.
The officers enter the house. Rozario, who is standing in the kitchen, grabs a pair of scissors from a drawer and then takes a few quick steps toward the officers, prompting someone to fire a Taser. Rozario’s mother holds him protectively and then wrests the scissors away.
The officers shout at the mother to let him go, while using curse words to order her to get out of the way.
“Don’t shoot,” the mother, Notan Ava Costa, tells the officers after she puts the scissors on a chair and steps aside.
The situation quickly escalates as officers fire their Tasers again, and Rozario picks up the scissors and walks towards them. One officer then fires a gun. It is unclear whether Rosario will be hit. His mother rushes to him, followed by her youngest son, who tries to pull her away.
“Please don’t shoot my mother!” Rozario’s brother cries.
“Get her out of the way!” police shout. Rozario’s mother and brother fall to the ground.
While the brother still holds his mother, Rozario, with scissors in hand, appears to take a step towards the police and is shot. He stops moving forward. Three more shots are heard, each about a second apart, as Rozario recoils and staggers, his arms at his sides but still holding the scissors. Finally he falls forward to the ground.
‘Do not shoot! Do not shoot!” his mother cries.
The NYPD said in a statement that it is cooperating with the investigation. The officers have a modified assignment, which means they do not carry a firearm, the statement said.
Patrol Chief John Chell defended the officers’ actions, saying at a news conference on the day of the shooting that “this case was chaotic and rapidly evolving and they had to defend themselves.” He said both officers deployed their Tasers, but did not say whether either fired their weapons.
Rozario’s family said in their statement: ‘It has been over a month since we lost Win and our hearts are broken. We feel his absence every day.”