The New York Attorney General's Office is investigating into the events that led to the fatality of Emilson Joan Ordoñez-Banegas, who lost his life after an encounter with the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) on Sunday, according to a press release. This inquiry is under the jurisdiction of the Office of Special Investigation (OSI) due to its involvement of law enforcement officers and a civilian death in Centereach, Suffolk County.
The conflict began with a 911 call shortly after 8:30 a.m. that day, alerting the SCPD to an assault behind some retail stores, the AG's office detailed in a statement. Officers arrived to find an individual with injuries, and as this person received medical attention, Mr. Ordoñez-Banegas supposedly advanced towards them with a knife. An officer then discharged his service weapon, fatally wounding Ordoñez-Banegas. Authorities later confirmed recovering a knife from the scene.
This marks not a conclusion, but the start of further examination, as OSI's involvement indicates a thorough review of the actions taken by the officers involved. Under New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI is mandated to investigate any incident in which an officer’s action or inaction may have resulted in a person’s death. The law applies regardless of whether the individual was armed or unarmed, and covers a range of circumstances, including in-custody deaths and incidents involving off-duty officers.
All disclosed information is preliminary and may change as the investigation continues. OSI’s assessment will guide the direction of the investigation, and if evidence indicates that the officer’s actions played a role in Mr. Ordoñez-Banegas' death, a full investigation will follow. Additional updates are expected as OSI progresses in its efforts to clarify the circumstances and accountability related to the fatal shooting.
