New York Attorney General Letitia James recently made public surveillance footage from the ongoing investigation into the death of Royan Thomas, who tragically lost his life in a traffic collision involving an off-duty NYPD officer on September 27. The incident, which took place in Queens and resulted in the death of the motorcycle operator at the scene, also left a passenger injured but with non-life-threatening injuries, as stated in the Attorney General's Office.
The collision occurred when the off-duty officer was making a turn onto Linden Boulevard from Francis Lewis Boulevard. In response, James' Office of Special Investigation (OSI) is digging into the details to determine the series of events that led to Thomas's death. In line with a directive from James aimed at bolstering transparency and trust, the OSI released this video footage to the public. Even though a devastating outcome arose from the incident, the release of these materials should not be interpreted as a judgement on the potential guilt or innocence of the involved parties.
Under New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, the OSI is tasked with reviewing incidents where a police officer, regardless of duty status, may have caused a death through their actions or inaction—a standard that applies irrespective of whether the decedent was armed, unarmed, or in custody. If initial assessments suggest the officer's potential culpability, a full-scale investigation ensues.
It's important to note that the video footage is graphic and may cause distress to viewers. Those who wish to view the footage can find it at the provided URL. The Attorney General's Office cautions the public about the sensitive nature of this material and the impact it may have on the community, especially to those connected to Royan Thomas.
