Newly released body-camera footage is shedding stark light on the final moments of Adrian Cevallos, a Queens resident who died after officers used a Taser during what police described as a mental-health crisis on Aug. 3, 2024. The city's medical examiner later ruled his death a homicide and cited cardiac dysrhythmia with Taser use as a contributing factor. Cevallos' family has filed a civil lawsuit and says attorneys are now combing through the video.
Attorney General Releases Footage
On Wednesday, Attorney General Letitia James' Office of Special Investigation released two body-worn camera clips tied to the Queens encounter, according to a Attorney General's Office statement. OSI said the clips were compiled as part of its ongoing investigation into Cevallos' death and warned viewers that the footage contains disturbing images.
What The Footage Shows
The videos capture officers arriving on 62nd Street in Queens, where Cevallos appears to swing at officers, then fall hard to the pavement before several officers pin him down and deploy a Taser multiple times, NY1 reported. Audio in the recording picks up what sounds like the Taser firing at least three times. NY1 noted that the NYPD told the outlet two of those deployments did not create a working circuit.
The clip ends shortly after officers load Cevallos into an ambulance. He became unresponsive on the way to the hospital, according to NY1.
Medical Examiner And Family Response
The medical examiner determined that Cevallos died of cardiac dysrhythmia and found that Taser use was a contributing factor, NY1 reported. Cevallos' mother told reporters her son was in the middle of a psychiatric episode when she dialed 911 for help. The family says it is seeking accountability through a civil lawsuit that is now pending in state court.
Policy Context
The release of the footage lands as city officials move to formalize quicker body-camera transparency. In March, the city announced that video from certain critical incidents would be made public within 30 days, a change supporters said would help build public trust, according to Police1. Advocates for mental-health crisis response say the Cevallos video reinforces calls for alternative crisis teams and tighter limits on Taser use during behavioral-health calls.
Investigation And Next Steps
The attorney general's OSI opened a formal investigation in January after receiving new information and stressed that releasing the footage "is not an expression of any opinion as to the guilt or innocence" of anyone involved, the Attorney General's Office said. With civil litigation moving forward and the OSI probe still active, officials and lawyers say the case could take months to resolve, and no criminal charges have been announced.
