New York Attorney General Letitia James' Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has released a report concerning the death of Caesar Robinson. Robinson died on April 13, 2023, following an encounter with New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers in Brooklyn.
The OSI's investigation included a review of body-worn camera footage, building security camera footage, interviews with the officers involved, and comprehensive legal analysis. The conclusion was that "a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officers’ actions were justified under New York law."
On the day of the incident, NYPD officers responded to a 911 call about a possible burglary at an apartment on Lewis Avenue in Brooklyn. When they arrived and knocked on the door, Mr. Robinson answered holding a gun. As he began to raise it towards them, one officer instructed him to drop his weapon. Mr. Robinson did not comply, leading the officers to discharge their weapons and strike him. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to New York’s justification law, police officers may use deadly force if they reasonably believe it necessary for defense against another's use of deadly force. In this case, OSI determined that "when Mr. Robinson opened the door... he was holding a gun in his hand," raised it towards officers and failed to comply when directed to drop it. Therefore, based on evidence and law, OSI concluded that criminal charges would not be pursued against the officers involved.