The Erie County District Attorney has found an officer with the Buffalo (NY) Police Department was justified when he shot a fleeing suspect in December 2018.
DA John Flynn said that the subject—who had fled the scene of a reported shoplifting incident—drew a folding knife and refused officers' repeated orders to drop the weapon.
According to WKBW-TV, the knife-wielding suspect—identified as 47-year-old Marcus Neal—charged the responding officers.
According to WBFO Radio, 25-year-old Officer Joseph Meli fired his service weapon, striking Neal twice in the abdomen and once in the buttocks.
Neal was transported to a nearby hospital where he later died of his injuries.
