New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) announced Tuesday it will not pursue criminal charges against a New York City Police Department officer who fatally shot Pedro Felix during a violent encounter in Queens on July 4, 2024.
The OSI concluded that under New York law, a prosecutor could not disprove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer’s use of deadly force was justified.
Officers responded that night to an emergency call reporting an ongoing knife assault at an apartment. Upon arrival, police encountered Felix engaged in a violent struggle with another man while holding a knife. Despite repeated commands to drop the weapon, Felix did not comply. One officer discharged his service weapon, striking Felix. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Investigators recovered two knives at the scene. Inside the apartment, officers also discovered an 8-year-old child suffering from stab wounds. The child was taken to a hospital but did not survive. Two other individuals, also injured by stabbing, were treated and later released.
Body-worn camera footage, witness accounts, and statements from the involved officers confirmed that Felix was holding another man in a headlock with a knife in hand when officers arrived. Bystanders had also alerted officers that a woman had exited the apartment bleeding, underscoring the urgency of the threat.
Under state law, police are permitted to use deadly force when they reasonably believe it is necessary to protect against deadly physical force. OSI’s investigation found that the officer acted within the bounds of that law.
“Given the law and the evidence,” the OSI report stated, “a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officer’s use of deadly physical force against Mr. Felix was justified.”
With that determination, the Attorney General’s office closed its investigation without filing charges.
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