Attorney General James Releases Footage from Investigation into Death of Donnell Hogan

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released body-worn camera footage that her office obtained as part of its ongoing investigation into the death of Donnell Hogan, who died on May 13, 2025 following an encounter with members of the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) in Syracuse.

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.

On the evening of May 13, SPD officers responded to reports of an individual firing a gun inside and outside of an apartment building on North Townsend Street in Syracuse. As officers entered a second-floor hallway of the building, they encountered Mr. Hogan, who was in a wheelchair and holding a gun. Mr. Hogan fired his gun at the officers, and an officer fired his patrol rifle once, striking Mr. Hogan. Mr. Hogan 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. 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.