The family of Queens teenager Win Rozario, whom police shot to death during a mental health emergency response in March, met with representatives of the Attorney General’s office on Tuesday and made a bombshell revelation.
During a press conference following their meeting with associates of Attorney General Letitia James, a Rozario family representative alleged that one of the officers involved in the deadly shooting had removed his bodycam — seemingly in violation of NYPD policy — just as he and his colleague began administering chest compressions to the mortally wounded teen.
Officers Salvatore Alongi and Matthew Cianfrocco, of the 102nd Precinct, responded to Rozario’s home in Ozone Park on March 27, after the young man had called 911 while amidst a mental health crisis. But after Rozario allegedly charged at the two officers with a pair of scissors, along and Cianfrocco Tasered, then later shot him — right in front of his mother and brother.
During the meeting at the Attorney General office, the Rozario family representative said they were shown new, unreleased footage that Cianfrocco removed his body camera while Rozario lay dying.
“One of the most disturbing things that we saw was that Officer Cianfrocco removed his body-worn camera. He just takes it off of his chest. He then just kind of walks around with it, and at a certain point he literally puts it down just like facing a wall,” Executive Director of the Justice Committee Loyda Colon said. “It was when one of the officers was providing CPR that we are questioning.”
The family, who originally intended to speak after the meeting but became too emotional to do so, said in a written statement that they felt they had been treated like criminals by other arriving cops rather than victims.
Luna Droubi, the family’s lawyer, also announced that they would be filing a lawsuit against the city for the deadly shooting.
“We filed notices of claim not just on behalf of Win Rozario’s estate but also behalf of his mother and his brother who witnessed the murder for treating them like criminals and for improperly putting them at risk,” Droubi said. “The city needs to pay for the consequences.”
Family representatives also told reporters that the family is struggling to cope with the death nearly three months after the shooting. July 4 would have marked Rozario’s 20th birthday; now, his loved ones are looking to move out from the home that holds such horrific memories.
Rozario’s brother, Utsho, wrote a statement that was read aloud by Simran Thind as he looked on, with tears welling in his eyes.
“It’s really hard to fight for my brother. And it was painful to watch the video today because it feels really retraumatizing,” the statement read. “Win should be alive and the NYPD’s treatment of me and my mother after he was murdered is unacceptable.”
According to the NYPD, officers must use their bodycams to record “any events for which recording is required … from start to finish.”
“If a member of the public asks an officer to turn off the camera, the officer may do so, but may continue recording if the officer thinks it unsafe or inadvisable to stop,” according to NYPD policy. “Officers may not turn off the camera if a suspected perpetrator is still present on the scene.”
The NYPD’s Force Investigation Unit is examining the case along with the Civilian Complaint Review Board; James’ office has also launched a criminal investigation.
As per departmental policy, the NYPD does not comment on ongoing internal investigations.
