New Haven Cop Justified to Shoot Knife-Wielding Suspect: State's Attorney

NEW HAVEN, CT—The New Haven State's Attorney found that a New Haven officer was justified to shoot a knife-wielding suspect who reportedly wanted to be shot and killed by the police.

"The reports and statements generated by this investigation have been reviewed by State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin and it is his conclusion that the use of force exercised by Officer Jackson was both reasonable and justifiable in order to protect both himself and other individuals at the scene," the State Department of Criminal Justice said in a release.

Police and fire officials responded to a Ferry Street address Aug. 16. The mother of the suspect said her son entered her apartment and was acting strangely, according to the report. She indicated that he wanted the police to come so he could stab an officer and be shot and killed by police.

Suspect Roberto Orsini-Rodriguez suffers from a mental illness, she said. The information was relayed to the dispatcher through an interpreter.

Firefighters met with the suspect's mother in the lobby of the building and a bilingual security guard helped translate. She essentially told firefighters the same information and that her son wanted to commit "suicide by cop," according to the report.

Officer Brian Jackson arrived on scene and was being briefed by fire personnel when a Hispanic male exited the elevator. He took a step or two out of the elevator and displayed a knife, according to the report.

Jackson commanded him to drop the knife at least two times. Jackson also began to retreat backward. Orsini-Rodriguez held the knife aggressively as if he was going to lunge forward, according to the report.

Jackson fired twice at Orsini-Rodriguez as the distance between the two was between two and eight feet, according to witnesses.

Orsini-Rodriguez was treated at the scene and transported to Yale-New Haven Hospital. He is expected to survive his injuries.