A report on the investigation into the death of Rakim Tillery following a traffic stop on the New York State Thruway in Ramapo in January 2024 was released by the AG's Office of Special Investigation on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
According to the report, Tillery, who had been linked to an earlier incident in Albany, was armed and fired at troopers on Jan. 3, 2024, as they approached his vehicle during the stop. One trooper returned fire, and Tillery fell to the ground.
However, as the trooper approached, Tillery got up and engaged in a struggle, attempting to grab the officer’s gun, the report states. At that point, a second trooper fired three shots, striking Tillery.
After reviewing home and body-worn camera footage, interviewing witnesses, and conducting a legal analysis, OSI determined that prosecutors would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt that the the officers’ actions were justified under New York’s justification law.
According to the AG's Office, New York's justification law permits police officers to use deadly physical force when they reasonably believe it is necessary to defend against the use of deadly force by another.
The body camera footage of the shooting was released by the AG's Office in March 2024 and can be seen by clicking here.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Armonk and receive free news updates.