Harrowing video shows NYC cops fatally shoot mentally ill, scissors-wielding man as his mom begs them to stop

Tina Moore
·2 min read
composite of body cam footage
composite of body cam footage

Chilling NYPD body camera footage released Friday shows the harrowing moment cops fatally shot a mentally ill Queens man who lunged at them with scissors as his mom and brother begged them not to shoot.

Win Rozario’s family called on the officers involved to be fired and charged with murder in the wake of the video’s release by state officials.

“The video that was released makes it clear that Win should be alive, but the police came and murdered him in our kitchen without any care for him or us,” a statement from Rozario’s mother, brother and father states.

The man’s mother and brother were at the scene and begged the officers not to shoot. New York State Attorney General
The man’s mother and brother were at the scene and begged the officers not to shoot. New York State Attorney General

“The police created a crisis and killed him in cold blood.”

Rozario, 19, was killed on March 27 after police responded to a 911 call from him at his home at 103rd Street and 101st Avenue in Ozone Park.

When cops went into the home, Rozario pulled a pair of scissors out of a kitchen drawer and charged at them, the video shows. His mom managed to take the scissors from him and put them down on a chair.

Police then fired their Tasers at him twice, but Rozario proceeded to pick up the scissors again while his mother and brother struggled to stop him, the frantic video shows.

He charged at the officers again with the scissors while his mother laid on the floor between cops and her son. This time, both officers fired their guns at Rozario, who was taken to a hospital and died.

New York Attorney General Letitia James‘s office released the video. Her office is investigating the fatal shooting.

The family said the release was necessary.

“It’s been over a month since we lost Win and our hearts are broken,” the family’s statement said.

“We feel his absence every day. Reliving this is traumatic and painful. We wish it wasn’t necessary for the video to be public.”

Footage shows NYPD fatally shooting a young man who lunged at them with a pair of scissors. New York State Attorney General
Footage shows NYPD fatally shooting a young man who lunged at them with a pair of scissors. New York State Attorney General
The man’s family frantically tried to keep the scissors from the man multiple times. New York State Attorney General
The man’s family frantically tried to keep the scissors from the man multiple times. New York State Attorney General

The police department said the two cops are on modified duty so do not have their badges or firearms.

“Each year, the NYPD receives more than nine million calls for service, approximately 155,000 of which are emergency calls involving people in the throes of an emotional or mental health crisis,” the NYPD said in a statement.

“Less than 1 percent of those calls result in police using any form of force; even fewer encounters result in the use of deadly physical force. We continually seek to improve how we respond to requests for assistance, and we acknowledge that there is much work to be done. New Yorkers expect and deserve nothing less.”