By Tiffany Williams –
NEW YORK — The New York attorney general’s Office of Special Investigation on Thursday released its findings on the fatal police shooting of 79-year-old Emil Williams, concluding that criminal charges against the officers involved would not be pursued because prosecutors could not disprove that the use of deadly force was legally justified.
Williams was shot and killed Feb. 18, 2025, outside the NYPD’s 111th Precinct in Queens after approaching the stationhouse while armed. Investigators reviewed body-worn camera footage, precinct security video, officer and civilian interviews, forensic evidence and applicable law before reaching their decision.
According to the report, Williams walked toward the precinct at about 6:40 p.m. holding a firearm. An officer stationed outside the entrance illuminated him with a flashlight and saw the gun raised and pointed in the officer’s direction. The officer took cover, radioed for help and repeatedly ordered Williams to drop the weapon. Three additional officers ran outside in response.
Investigators said Williams ignored repeated commands from multiple officers to drop the gun. All four officers fired their weapons. Williams was struck and fell to the ground. Officers handcuffed him, requested emergency medical services and attempted lifesaving measures until EMS arrived. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. A firearm was recovered at the scene.
The report states that body-worn camera footage shows Williams alternately holding the gun in his right and left hands and pointing it at officers. Precinct surveillance video captured the encounter from multiple angles, including Williams exiting a white SUV, approaching the precinct and keeping the gun raised as officers took cover and issued commands.
A civilian witness told investigators she was pushed to safety by an officer as Williams approached the precinct with a gun and that she heard officers repeatedly tell him to drop it before shots were fired.
Crime scene investigators recovered a fully loaded .38-caliber revolver near Williams’ feet and 21 spent shell casings consistent with NYPD-issued ammunition. Ballistics analysis showed the four officers fired a total of 21 rounds. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death a gunshot wound to the torso, with four gunshot wounds documented, and classified the manner of death as homicide.
Under New York law, police officers may use deadly force when they reasonably believe it is necessary to defend against the imminent use of deadly physical force. OSI concluded that, given the evidence, a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers reasonably believed Williams posed such a threat.
Based on that determination, OSI said it will not seek criminal charges and closed the case with the issuance of its report dated Jan. 16, 2025.