New York Attorney General Letitia James has made public police body-worn camera footage from an investigation into the death of Vilmond Jean-Baptiste. Jean-Baptiste died on September 13, 2024, following an encounter with New York City Police Department officers in Brooklyn.
On that day, at approximately 5:21 p.m., members of the NYPD's Brooklyn South Warrant Squad entered an apartment to serve a warrant. They found Mr. Jean-Baptiste inside allegedly holding a knife. Despite officers' instructions to drop the knife, he reportedly approached them with it. In response, one officer used a taser while three others discharged their firearms, hitting Mr. Jean-Baptiste. He was then taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation (OSI) released footage from the body cameras worn by officers during this incident. This action aligns with Attorney General James’ policy of releasing such footage to promote transparency and strengthen public trust in these investigations.
Under New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI reviews incidents where law enforcement may have caused a person's death through action or omission. This applies regardless of whether the officer was on-duty or off-duty and whether the decedent was armed or unarmed, in custody or not. If OSI finds potential cause for concern, it conducts a full investigation.
Attorney General James clarified that releasing this footage does not indicate any stance on guilt or innocence concerning criminal charges against any individual involved.
A warning accompanies the release, noting that some viewers may find the content disturbing.