Expert in police use of force describes how investigation will likely play out in officer-involved fatal shooting
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A retired police officer and expert of police use of force reacts to bodycam video, describing how he thinks the investigation will play out in a fatal Wednesday shooting on Kensington Ave.
Jerry Rodriguez is a retired police captain who also studies police tactics and use of force. He worries for the child in the incident, defends the officer who fired the shots, and discusses a gun that was later found in the vehicle 25-year-old Daevon Roberts was driving.
The bodycam footage released on Thursday shows the intense circumstances police officers were under. Police were conducting a traffic stop on Kensington Avenue Wednesday morning. Officer Ronald Ammerman initially pulled Roberts over for speeding and tinted windows.
After discovering that the license Roberts presented to police was invalid, officers opened the door to the vehicle. Then, Roberts drove off with Officer Ammerman hanging on to the car. After traveling a few blocks at speeds close to 60 mph it appears Roberts kicked at Ammerman, who fired several rounds and hit Roberts, as both fell out of the car.
"You saw in the video it was 0 to 60 at a very rapid succession," said Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. "I think the officer did what he had to do to survive."
A 6-year-old boy was also in the passenger seat of the car, without wearing a seatbelt, as the situation unfolded. He ended up not sustaining any injuries.
Rodriguez says that the fact a 6-year-old was in the car might be a big factor when it comes to the investigation.
"I am concerned that the child was in close proximity to those rounds being fired," said Rodriguez. "I notice that when he started firing at the suspect, the driver of the vehicle jumps out. But what happens? The vehicle continues to roll with no driver and the 6-year-old driver in the seat."
Rodriguez also tells News 4 it is administrative policy nationwide to not shoot at or from a moving vehicle except under significant circumstances. He says he believes this was one of those situations because of how fast it escalated.
"Just about any officer in that same position would arguably have that same fear if they were sitting there holding on to a 60-mph fleeing vehicle and that's why I believe the officer fired," said Rodriguez.
According to the Buffalo Police Department, a loaded pistol was recovered under the driver's seat of the car Roberts was driving. Rodriguez says that the loaded gun being in the car at the time of the incident will not be considered in the Attorney Generals investigation as it is unclear if it belonged to Roberts or not.
"The gun in the vehicle, unless the officer knew about it before he pulled the trigger, has no bearing on the rationale for shooting," said Rodriguez. "What does play a very obvious role in this is that the officer clearly was in fear for his life in this situation."
Rodriguez says the investigation will be extremely thorough to figure out what state of mind the driver was in that might have led him to drive off. They will also be taking a deep look into the actions of both officers to determine if their actions were justified or not.
Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here.