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The Sullivan County incident happened in the town of Thompson, on Rock Hill Drive, at around 2:20 a.m. on Tuesday, July 16.
New York State Police said troopers were pursuing 32-year-old Orange County resident Albert Melendez, of Middletown, when Melendez stopped and attempted to turn around at the intersection of Rock Hill Drive and Emerald Place.
A trooper exited his patrol vehicle and ordered Melendez to stop, but he continued driving forward and struck the trooper, according to police. The trooper then shot Melendez, who later died at Garnet Health Medical Center in Middletown.
The trooper involved in the incident was treated at the same hospital for minor injuries and released.
On Thursday, the New York State Attorney General’s Office released footage from two officer-worn body cameras showing the moments before the shooting. In the first video, troopers are heard repeatedly ordering Melendez to show them his hands and get out of his car.
Melendez then opens the driver’s side door before appearing to hunch over to his right side.
The second clip shows a trooper arriving on scene and then, four seconds later, firing multiple shots at the man through his passenger-side window. Melendez is heard yelling in pain before the footage abruptly ends.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said the footage – part of the Office of Special Investigations’ (OSI) ongoing investigation into the shooting – was released “to increase transparency and strengthen public trust in these matters.”
Under state law, the office is tasked with investigating every incident in which a police officer may have caused a person’s death, regardless of whether the officer was on or off duty.
“The release of this footage is not an expression of any opinion 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,” James’ office said.
Click here to view the officer-worn body camera footage.
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