Attorney General James Releases Footage from Investigation into Death of Samuel Williams
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released police body-worn camera footage that her office obtained as part of its ongoing investigation into the death of Samuel Williams, who died on May 29, 2023 after a motor vehicle incident involving members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) on May 28, 2023 in the Bronx.
On the evening of May 28, NYPD officers attempted to stop Mr. Williams, who was allegedly driving a dirt bike on a street in the Bronx. During the encounter, there was a collision between Mr. Williams’ bike and an unmarked NYPD vehicle at the southwestern corner of University Heights Bridge and West Fordham Road. Mr. Williams was taken to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries the next day.
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 release of this footage follows Attorney General 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.
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. 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 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.
Warning: This video contains content that viewers may find disturbing.