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BWC: Suspect fleeing traffic stop drags N.Y. officer at more than 60 mph before fatal OIS

After the shooting, both the Buffalo PD officer and the suspect fell out of the vehicle; the officer then rescued a child who was still inside the moving car

By Joanna Putman
Police1

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Police Department has released body camera footage showing a man dragging an officer in a vehicle at high speeds, leading to an officer-involved shooting, WKBW reported.

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Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia stated that the July 10 incident began during a traffic stop for a speeding violation and tinted windows, according to the report. Officers also observed a 6-year-old boy in the front passenger seat without a seatbelt.

When the officer asked the suspect to step out of the vehicle, he sped away, dragging the officer While the officer was clinging to the vehicle, the vehicle eached speeds over 60 mph, police said.

“You’re going to kill me, bro!” the officer can be heard saying.

After pleading for the suspect to stop, the officer eventually shot the suspect multiple times, video shows. Both fell from the vehicle, and the officer rescued the boy, who was unharmed.

The suspect was taken to Erie County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to the report. The officer was treated for minor injuries and released.

A search warrant for the vehicle, which was not registered to the suspect, led to the discovery of a 9 mm Taurus handgun under the driver’s seat, according to the report.

“I was horrified watching this video,” Gramaglia stated. “That officer could have been severely injured or killed had it turned out any other way.”