The inquiry into the death of Hugh Davis, who encountered Cheektowaga Police Department (CPD) officers and died on August 13, has reached a decision. New York Attorney General Letitia James' Office of Special Investigation (OSI) revealed they will not be pursuing charges, determining that the use of force by the officers involved could not be legally disproven as unjustified. A detailed final report is still pending following this conclusion.
According to the OSI, which is tasked to thoroughly investigate any potential police-related fatalities, officers were attempting to arrest Davis at his Buffalo apartment for an alleged assault that took place in Cheektowaga. It was during this attempted arrest that the fatal incident occurred. The OSI’s findings indicate that when officers entered the apartment, Davis "lunged through the doorway beneath the fallen panel with a knife in his hand and began swinging the knife at the officers," as was reported by the Office of the Attorney General. In what must have been tense moments, Davis continued to wield the knife despite commands to drop it, which subsequently led an officer to discharge his firearm.
The meeting between Davis and officers was captured on their body-worn cameras, ensuring that the sequence of events was documented. The footage became a crucial piece of evidence for the investigation. The OSI emphasized the legal standard that, for an officer to face charges, it must be shown beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer's use of deadly force wasn’t justified.
Investigators determined that the legal standard for criminal charges was not met in this case. According to OSI, the officers’ use of lethal force was found to be consistent with the threat they faced, as the individual was armed, not following commands, and considered a danger to their safety. OSI plans to release a full report at a later date, which will provide more details about the evidence and the basis for their conclusion.
