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Buffalo, June 6 (AP) – A New York State trooper was charged Monday with manslaughter for shooting and killing a Pennsylvania man after a high-speed car chase last year.
Officer Anthony Nigro was arraigned in Buffalo state court for the February 12, 2022 shooting death of 38-year-old James Huber of northeastern Pennsylvania.
Nigro, a nearly 16-year veteran of the state police, pleaded not guilty to first- and second-degree manslaughter and was released without bond.
Officers first spotted Huber speeding on Interstate 90 near Buffalo and chased him at more than 100 mph (161 km/h), police said.
The fatal encounter happened after Huber eventually pulled over in Buffalo.
Body camera footage released by the state attorney general’s office showed Nigro holding his gun in front of his body as he approached the car and swearing at Huber to get out. Huber sat in the driver’s seat, turned away from the officer, and said, “Go away.”
Huber appears to reach for something in the car with his right hand, and Nigro grabs the hood of Huber’s sweatshirt. As the car tipped back, the soldier fell to the ground with two shots, briefly dragging Nigro. It’s unclear what Huber’s purpose was.
The car backs out of camera range, crashes and rolls over on a parking ramp.
Body camera footage showed Nigro running towards the car. He radioed: “The driver was hit. I’m fine.”
Huber, who was unarmed, died at the scene from his gunshot wounds. Attorney-General Letitia James, whose office launched an investigation into his death, has laid charges against Nigro.
Charles Murphy, president of the New York State Police Benevolent Association, said, “While the outcome is tragic, Officer Negro’s actions were consistent with his training and the law.”
In a statement, Murphy said Huber’s “dangerous” behavior “threats to the safety of innocent motorists on the highway and in the city of Buffalo justify Trooper Nigro’s actions.”
The New York Attorney’s Office is tasked with investigating all police-caused deaths, but criminal charges against officers are rare.
State police said in a statement that the department has cooperated with the attorney general’s investigation and will continue to do so.
Cary Arnold, a Pennsylvania woman who has a daughter with Huber, told the Buffalo News that Huber may have been on his way to support Canadian truck drivers protesting mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations when the shooting occurred. assembly. (Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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