AG's office releases NYSP body-worn camera footage in driver's shooting death

New York State Attorney General Letitia James' office has released the body-worn camera footage from two state troopers involved in the fatal shooting of a driver in Sullivan County last month.

James obtained the footage as part of her office's ongoing investigation into the death of the driver, Albert Melendez Jr., 32, of Middletown.

Melendez died after being shot during an encounter with state police on July 16.

According to James' office, Melendez was driving his vehicle on Rock Hill Drive in Rock Hill in Sullivan County at the time.

At the intersection of Rock Hill Drive and Emerald Place, Melendez stopped his vehicle. State police said Trooper Russell T. Peters got out of his patrol vehicle and gave verbal commands for Melendez to stop his vehicle, but Melendez continued to move forward and made contact with him.

The AG's Office of Special Investigations released videos from body-worn cameras that two state police troopers were equipped with during the encounter.

In the video footage, which the AG's office noted had been "redacted according to OAG Policy," Peters is shown firing his gun more than five times through the passenger window, striking Melendez, during the encounter.

New York State Police said Peters, of Troop F , has been a state police member since September 2021.

Additional redacted footage from another trooper's body-worn camera, identified by the AG's office as "Officer Grahn," shows law enforcement shouting at Melendez to show them his hands, then to get out of the car. Melendez is seen opening the driver's side door, then slumping over on his side.

Video footage: AG releases body-worn camera footage from death of Albert Melendez

According to James' office, Melendez was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The trooper suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the encounter. He also was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated and later released.

The release of the video footage, according to the AG's office, follows James' directive that camera footage obtained by her office during an OSI investigation be released to the public to increase transparency and strengthen public trust.

Background: AG's office investigating fatal shooting of driver by state trooper in Sullivan County

Under state executive law, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, might have caused the death of a person by an act or an omission. The officer may be on duty or off duty, and the dead person may be armed or unarmed. Also, the dead person may or may not be in custody or incarcerated.

If OSI's asssessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a ful investigation of the incident.

James' office said the release of this footage is not an expression of any opinion as to the guilt or innocence of any party in a criminal matter, or any opinion as to how or whether any individual may be charged with a crime.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record and the Poughkeepsie Journal. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: AG's office releases NYSP body-worn camera footage in driver's shooting death