The investigation into the death of Lisa Haight concluded without criminal charges against the involved officers, as stated in the report released by New York Attorney General Letitia James' Office of Special Investigation (OSI). On February 2, 2024, Ms. Haight died during a confrontation with the Town of Hamburg Police Department (THPD) in Erie County. The Attorney General's Office report detailed that Haight, who was a passenger in a transportation service van, stabbed another passenger and was later left on the side of I-90 after the driver went to get help for the injured passenger.
After a homeowner reported a break-in attempt, THPD officers, following tracks in the snow and without knowledge of the prior incident, located Ms. Haight in a nearby house's bathtub where she appeared to be harming herself. In attempt to disarm her, officers engaged which resulted in Ms. Haight grabbing what was perceived as a knife and threatening an officer, leading to the fatal shooting. However, it was later discovered the item was a flashlight with a metallic clip that could have been mistaken for a blade. The prosecutors determined that "a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officer’s use of deadly physical force against Ms. Haight was justified," as the belief surrounding the object's dangerousness was not deemed objectively unreasonable, as reported by the Attorney General's Office.
The tragic outcome of this encounter has highlighted the importance of body-worn cameras (BWCs) for police transparency and accountability. At the time of the incident, the THPD had not equipped its officers with BWCs, which has since changed in June 2024 following engagement with the Attorney General’s Office. The OSI continues to push for legislation that would mandate the use of BWCs and dashboard cameras for all police departments in New York State.
As the OSI report indicates, better equipment and training may aid in the reduction of such fatal encounters, ensuring that both officers and citizens are provided with a higher degree of safety in confrontations where life or death decisions are made in split seconds.
