AG James Announces Probe Into Fatal NY State Police Shooting

THOMPSON, NY — The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) says it has opened an investigation into the shooting death of a suspect by a New York State Trooper.

32-year-old Albert Melendez, Jr., of Middletown, died on July 16, following an encounter with members of the New York State Police in Sullivan County.

Just before 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, troopers were pursuing Melendez, who was driving his vehicle on Rock Hill Drive in Thompson in Sullivan County. At the intersection of Rock Hill Drive and Emerald Place, Melendez stopped his vehicle. One trooper got out of his patrol vehicle and approached Melendez and gave verbal commands for Melendez to stop his vehicle, according to state police, but the vehicle continued forward and hit the trooper who then fired his duty weapon, striking Melendez.

Troopers provided emergency medical care to Melendez, who was transported to Garnet Health Medical Center, where he died.

The trooper, identified as Russell T. Peters, who has been a state police member since September of 2021, sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the encounter. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated and has since been released.

"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," the New York Attorney General's Office said, announcing the probe. "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."