The family of Win Rozario, a 19-year-old teen who was fatally shot by NYPD officers during a mental health crisis, has filed a lawsuit against the city and the officers involved, PIX11 News reports. The incident, which occurred last year in Queens, has sparked conversations about the NYPD's handling of mental health calls. Rozario's family alleges that Officers Matthew Cianfrocco and Salvatore Alongi escalated the situation, leading to the teen's death within two minutes of police arriving at the scene.
On the day in question, Rozario had reportedly called 911 on himself, posing a scenario where a son was acting 'erratic' due to possible drug use. As officers arrived at the family's home in Ozone Park, they encountered Rozario wielding scissors. Despite attempts by his mother to disarm and calm him, the officers used Tasers and then guns, fatally wounding Rozario while his mother and younger brother were present. The lawsuit accuses the officers of violating protocols and the teen's civil rights, according to Gothamist.
The family's statement, which was obtained by PIX11 News, criticized the responding officers for what they considered a reckless response. "Cianfrocco and Alongi created a crisis and escalated at every turn, recklessly gunning Win down in our home in less than two minutes," the family said. The family's dissatisfaction springs from the actions of the officers on the scene and extends to how they were treated post-shooting, as they allege being barred from their home for 48 hours and not allowed to collect essential items, including medication and a pet cat.
Advocates for improved handling of mental health incidents by police have cited Rozario's case as an example of the NYPD's inadequacies in this area. The NYPD has previously stated that the shooting is under investigation by the Force Investigation Division. Officer Cianfrocco, who joined NYPD in 2015, and Officer Alongi, who joined in 2008, have both undergone crisis intervention training before and months after the incident, Gothamist reports. Neither officer has faced substantiated civilian complaints in the past.
The officers, who are respectively assigned to the Queens court section and the NYPD’s building maintenance section following the incident, have not been arrested or prosecuted. In an interview with Gothamist, an attorney for the Rozario family stated, "This case exemplifies why police should not be handling any response to anything related to mental health." The state attorney general's office is still reviewing the case. The city law department has confirmed it will address the lawsuit allegations formally after reviewing the complaint.
