Attorney General James’ Office of Special Investigation Issues Notification of Investigative Findings Regarding Investigation into the Death of Nathan Novakowski

April 29, 2026

NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James' Office of Special Investigation (OSI) is today issuing a Notification of Investigative Findings regarding the investigation into the death of Nathan Novakowski, who died on September 28, 2025 following an encounter with members of the New York State Police (NYSP) and Chemung County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) in Chemung County. Upon completion of the investigation into Mr. Novakowski's death, OSI has concluded that a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the trooper's use of deadly physical force was justified under the law. A final Investigation Report will follow.

About the Incident
At 3 p.m. on September 28, a NYSP trooper was dispatched to a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute. Upon arrival at the house, the trooper encountered Mr. Novakowski, holding a pair of scissors, standing next to his mother who was seated on the couch. His mother was screaming, "get away from me," and using a pillow to partially cover her upper body. The trooper repeatedly directed Mr. Novakowski to drop the scissors, but Mr. Novakowski failed to comply and yelled at the trooper to "shoot [him]." The trooper continued to direct Mr. Novakowski to drop the scissors, but he refused and yelled that his mother "deserves this."

A CCSO deputy arrived on the scene as Mr. Novakowski advanced toward the woman with the scissors. The trooper again instructed Mr. Novakowski to drop the scissors as he discharged his service weapon, striking Mr. Novakowski. Mr. Novakowski was pronounced dead at the scene, and his mother was treated for minor injuries. Officers recovered a pair of scissors at the scene.

Incident Video
The incident was captured on a trooper's body-worn camera (BWC).

Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI's assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.

In cases where the evidence and legal analysis are clear and the investigation is complete, OSI may issue a Notification of Investigative Findings announcing the conclusion of the investigation. In such cases, OSI will issue the final Investigation Report, as required by law, at a later date.