The New York Attorney General's Office has released police body-camera footage from its investigation into the 2023 death of Alex Rivera after an encounter with Syracuse police.
Rivera died May 31, 2023, after officers responded shortly after 4 a.m. to a report that someone was damaging property inside an apartment building on Teall Avenue, according to Attorney General Letitia James' office.
Officers entered the apartment and found Rivera lying on a bathroom floor. The attorney general's account said Rivera did not comply with requests to stand or walk out.
Police handcuffed Rivera and carried him outside to the lawn. Paramedics then sedated him and placed him in an ambulance, according to the release.
Rivera was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The footage was obtained by the Office of Special Investigation, which examines deaths that may have been caused by a police or peace officer through an act or omission.
State Executive Law Section 70-b directs the office to assess qualifying incidents whether an officer was on or off duty and whether the person who died was armed, unarmed, in custody or not in custody. A full investigation follows when the initial assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death.
James' office said releasing the video is intended to improve transparency and public trust. The release does not state whether any person will be charged and is not an opinion on anyone's guilt or innocence.
The attorney general warned that the footage contains material viewers may find disturbing. The investigation remains open.
The office did not announce findings about the officers' conduct or provide a timetable for completing the investigation. Its public statement focused on the release of the camera recordings and the legal authority for the review.
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