On June 1, New York Attorney General Letitia James released a compilation of body‑worn camera and nearby security footage from the death of 20‑year‑old Elijah Brown, a shooting that unfolded on Madison Avenue in Manhattan on November 13, 2025. Her office says the videos show the encounter that ended with Brown fatally shot and cautions that some viewers may find the images disturbing.
In a press release, the Attorney General's Office said its Office of Special Investigation (OSI) obtained and published the videos as part of its standard review of the case. According to the New York Attorney General's Office, at about 7:20 p.m. on November 13, NYPD officers were canvassing the area after multiple 911 calls about a man with a gun when they encountered a man matching that description. The office says the man fired a gun, officers responded by discharging their service weapons, the man was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, and a firearm was recovered at the scene.
Local reporting fills in the play‑by‑play that the AG's summary leaves out. ABC7 New York reports that the sequence began inside an elevator at 1590 Madison Avenue, then moved to a deli at 1600 Madison Avenue, and later to Mount Sinai Hospital, where there was a brief struggle with an off‑duty officer before the final sidewalk confrontation. The station reports that officers from the 19th Precinct encountered the man between East 95th and East 96th streets, that he fired at officers as bystanders stepped off an MTA bus, and that he was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital and pronounced dead, according to ABC7 New York.
What OSI's review requires
Under New York's Executive Law Section 70‑b, the Attorney General is authorized to review deaths that may have been caused by police and to investigate and, when appropriate, prosecute related offenses. If OSI's assessment finds reason to believe an officer may have caused a death, its attorneys can present evidence to a grand jury. If not, the case is typically closed and referred back to the local district attorney, a process laid out in the statute's text and legislative history on the state Legislature's bill page, per the New York State Senate.
What the released videos show
The Attorney General's Office stressed that releasing the videos is not meant to signal any conclusion about criminal guilt or innocence for anyone involved. Instead, the office framed the move as an effort to increase transparency and strengthen public trust. The compilation includes footage from officers' body‑worn cameras and nearby security cameras that capture the confrontation in real time, and the office warns that some of the material may be graphic, according to the New York Attorney General's Office.
Earlier coverage and reaction
When OSI first opened its review in November 2025, local outlets documented early witness accounts and statements from Brown's family, who described shock and confusion over what had happened. Community members and relatives urged anyone with video or information to come forward, according to initial coverage of the Madison Avenue shooting.
What to watch next
The OSI investigation remains active, and officials say the release of the videos does not mean charges have been filed. Investigators are expected to review the footage alongside other evidence as they decide whether to seek an indictment. So far, no charges have been announced, and both the Attorney General's Office and the NYPD say they are continuing to investigate the circumstances of Brown's death, as local reporting has noted, according to ABC7 New York.
