New York Attorney General Letitia James released bodycam video on Wednesday as part of her ongoing investigation into the death of Brian Czornyj, a Poughkeepsie man who was shot by police while wielding a samurai sword in June.
Czornyj, 36, was shot on June 5 by a Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department officer who responded to a 911 call about an assault with a sword at a home on Fair Oaks Drive.
Bodycam video from officer Jon Gouger shows him arriving at the scene with his gun raised. Inside the home, he encounters two men standing side by side and grappling over the sword, which is pointing down and away from both men.
“The younger man, Mr. Czornyj, appeared to be uninjured and held the sword by its handle,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement. “The older man, who appeared to be injured, held the sword by the blade.”
Police repeatedly ordered the men to drop the sword, but neither did.
“Put the sword down,” Gouger can be heard saying multiple times before warning that he’s “going to shoot” while reaching for the sword. About seven seconds later, he shoots Czornyj twice at close range.
Blood splatters as Czornyj falls to the floor and the older man moves aside while holding the blade.
A second video shows officer Tiere Spruill following Gouger into the house. The footage appears to show Gouger about 5 feet from Czornyj before shooting him.
Czornyj was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The older man, who has not been named, was treated for injuries and released later that night.
Czornyj lived with his parents at the home, though it’s unclear if they had been harmed.
According to an online obituary written by his family, Czornyj had worked for the FDA, which inspired him to become a doctor. However, as he was in the process of choosing which medical school to attend, he “developed a mental health condition which changed his life forever.”
The AG’s investigation into the shooting remains ongoing, in coordination with New York State Police.
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