The New York Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has initiated an investigation into the death of Miles Dignean, who died on March 21, 2025. The incident occurred following an encounter with the Oswego County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) and the New York State Police (NYSP) in Oswego County.
On March 21, officers from OCSO and NYSP were dispatched to a residence in the Town of Constantia, Oswego County. They responded to a 911 call for a welfare check and to serve Mr. Dignean with an order of protection. During the encounter, a struggle took place when Mr. Dignean swung a metal object at officers, hitting a NYSP trooper in the head. Amidst the ongoing struggle, an OCSO deputy discharged his service weapon, striking Mr. Dignean. He was subsequently taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI reviews every reported incident where a police officer or peace officer may have caused a person's death through action or omission. This applies whether the officer is on-duty or off-duty and regardless of whether the deceased was armed or unarmed or in custody at the time. If OSI's initial assessment suggests that an officer may have been responsible for causing the death, they proceed with a full investigation.
These details are preliminary and may be updated as new information becomes available.