By Hank Russell
New York Attorney General Letitia James released footage from body-worn cameras that her office obtained as part of its ongoing investigation into the death of a New York City man who died last summer following an encounter with members of the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD). (Warning: This video contains content that viewers may find disturbing.)
The Office of Special Investigation (OSI) of the Attorney General’s Office released footage from body-worn cameras that officers were equipped with during the incident. The OSI said the release of this footage 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 in these matters.
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, the OSI opened an investigation into Henry Sanders’ death back in April. LILP also cited news reports that Sanders was originally from New York City, yet his family members were unsure why he was in Wyandanch.
On August 1, 2024 at approximately 10:22 a.m., SCPD officers responded to a store on North 15th Street and Merritt Avenue in Wyandanch, following multiple 911 calls. Upon arrival, SCPD officers encountered Sanders outside and attempted to take him into custody. Sanders appeared to become unresponsive while officers were attempting to handcuff him, and he was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission,” said the OSI in a statement. “Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.”
The OSI emphasized that 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.
LILP reached out to the SCPD for comment, but did not hear back as of press time.