New York Attorney General Letitia James has made public police body-worn camera footage as part of the investigation into the death of Ali Ali. The incident occurred on September 18, 2024, during an encounter with New York State Police (NYSP) in Woodbury, Orange County.
According to reports, NYSP received information that Mr. Ali was wanted in New York City for an alleged assault and was driving a stolen vehicle. At approximately 5:35 a.m., troopers identified the vehicle on the New York State Thruway in Orange County and attempted to stop it. Mr. Ali continued driving until he collided with another vehicle and subsequently fled on foot into nearby woods.
Troopers located Mr. Ali at around 1:51 p.m. in a wooded area near Trout Brook Road. He allegedly had a knife and moved toward the officers, prompting one trooper to discharge his weapon, resulting in Mr. Ali's death at the scene. A knife was recovered by troopers at the location.
The Office of Special Investigation (OSI) within the Attorney General’s Office released footage from body-worn cameras used by troopers during this incident. This action aligns with Attorney General James’ directive to release such footage publicly to enhance transparency and public trust.
Under New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI reviews every reported incident where a police or peace officer may have caused a person's death through action or omission. This review applies whether the officer is on-duty or off-duty and regardless of whether the deceased was armed or unarmed, or in custody.
The release of this footage does not imply any opinion regarding guilt or innocence in any criminal matter nor does it suggest how individuals might be charged with a crime.
The video contains material that may be disturbing to viewers.