New York's attorney general has released body-camera footage from the police encounter that ended in Haley Rodriguez's death in Gates. The investigation into the October 4 shooting remains open.
According to the attorney general's office, a Town of Gates police officer was driving a marked vehicle on Spencerport Road at about 1 a.m. when he saw Rodriguez walking in the roadway. The officer activated the vehicle's flashing lights, stopped and got out.
The office said Rodriguez was holding what appeared to be a handgun and the officer asked her to put it down and speak with him. Rodriguez then reportedly pointed the apparent handgun toward the officer, who fired his service weapon and struck her, according to the office's account.
Rodriguez was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. An imitation handgun was recovered at the scene.
Attorney General Letitia James' Office of Special Investigation released footage that captured the incident under a policy intended to increase transparency during investigations of deaths involving police.
State law requires the office to assess incidents in which a police or peace officer may have caused a death through an act or omission. That authority applies whether an officer is on or off duty and whether the person who died was armed, unarmed or in custody.
The office said releasing the footage expresses no conclusion about criminal responsibility or whether anyone should face charges. The linked video contains disturbing material.
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