Allegedly involved in the cover up of the murder of a civilian

Bello was at the scene as civilian was brutalized, resulting in his death, and did nothing to intervene in the horrific violence, nor reported it. Nor did Bello or speak out about it after, becoming part of a widespread coverup.

Outcome

No charges have been brought against any of the officers directly involved or those who stood by, or those who knew of the extreme brutality and did not report it.

On the night of December 29, 2019 Buffalo Police Officers Mitchell J. Thomas II and Mitchell R. Thomas initiated a traffic stop. William Fugate was a passenger in the backseat of the vehicle. According to prosecutors, Fugate tried to flee from the vehicle. They also claim that while Fugate was running away, he pointed a gun at the officers.

The officers fired their guns at Fugate and struck him four times. Fugate was found a short time later hiding in a backyard. He was taken to Erie County Medical Center for treatment of the gunshot wounds to the side of his body.

Prosecutors claim a "loaded, illegal pistol" was found in Fugate's "flight path." However, Fugate disputeed the police version of events.

Outcome

No charges were filed against the officers.

While media reports said that Fugate pled guilty to a weapons possession charge, there are no court records that confirm this. Fugate did plead guilty to a possession with intent to distribute charge in 2021 after prosecutors claim a warrant was executed at a residence that Fugate was present at and 13 ounces of methamphetamine were found in a locked safe.

On December 7, 2019 at approximately 12:21 a.m. Buffalo Police Officer Andrew Whiteford in coordination with Officer Charles Miller planted cocaine in Cheryl Stephens's car to create the premise for her false arrest.

Outcome

The City of Buffalo settled a civil case for damages for $65,000. No known disciplinary actions against the officers have been taken.

During a traffic stop, Dep. Turner of CCSO detained passenger and migrant farmworker Luis Ulloa until US Border Patrol arrived, in apparent violation of the department's Fair and Impartial Policing Policy. Luis was later deported to Mexico.

According to Spectrum news, DeVincentis chased a victim and there was fighting for several minutes

Outcome

none

According to court documents, one 8th grade victim was waiting to be picked up by their mother from a school bus that had stopped and the driver called dispatch because other students had gotten into an altercation when RPD officers Edwards, Sterling, Pedicone, and Mendez approached the bus aggressively with mace. After the bus driver opening the door to let the child victim out, saying out-loud that they were not one of the students in the fight, the officers pushed, maced, forced to the ground and arrested both the child and an adult victim attempting to pick up the child with their mother.

Outcome

Court case undergoing mediation. No disciplinary actions

Buffalo Officers Kyle T Moriarity and Christopher Bridgett attacked, assaulted, and seized Dean Taylor, a Black man, without just cause or provocation, while he stood on a street corner taking a video of police activity down the street. Moriarity and Bridgett struck Taylor numerous times, dragged him to a police vehicle and handcuffed him behind his back.

On August 15, 2019, at approximately 11:00 PM, a Buffalo resident was operating his vehicle at a busy intersection with parked cars on both sides. He momentarily stopped at the corner to allow a passenger to exit the vehicle. Buffalo Police Officers Lawrence Briggs and Ryan Sanders, on patrol at the same intersection, activated their cruiser’s lights in response to what they deemed a traffic obstruction.

When the man did not immediately move his vehicle, both officers exited their vehicle and approached him. Officer Briggs approached the passenger’s side window (which was closed) and stated, “There’s a blunt in there? Get him out [of] the car.” The man acknowledged the presence of a blunt in the vehicle and became visibly upset when Officer Briggs opened his door. Despite expressing agitation and cursing, he complied with the command to exit the vehicle.

Officer Sanders led the man to the side of the vehicle, where he placed his hands on top of the car. Officer Briggs gave repeated commands for him to spread his legs and bring his feet back. The man stated he was complying and repeatedly informed the officers that he was disabled.

As Officer Briggs attempted to arrest the man, he commanded him to place his hands behind his back. The man, still stating that he was disabled and keeping his hands visible atop the vehicle, was unable comply. Officer Briggs then threw the man to the ground, during which the man screamed in pain, citing a pre-existing neck injury.

On the ground, Officer Briggs initially pinned the man on his back, then rolled him onto his stomach. The man continued to express severe pain and stated multiple times, “I’m not trying to resist.” Officers then called for medical assistance.

Outcome

The man was transported to a hospital where he was diagnosed with a cervical fracture and ligament damage. He had documented pre-existing spinal and shoulder conditions.

The man was initially charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration (2nd degree), criminal possession of marijuana (5th degree), and criminal possession of a weapon (4th degree – knife found in vehicle). All charges were ultimately dismissed following suppression of the blunt evidence.

In his arrest paperwork, Officer Briggs wrote that the man said, “I’ll beat your ass.” He later retracted this after rewatching the BWC footage, which showed no such statement. Officer Briggs claimed the blunt was burning; however, BWC footage and Sanders’ testimony did not support this.

The incident violated a directive issued by Mayor Byron Brown in early 2019, which directed the Buffalo Police Department to cease enforcement of low-level marijuana possession offenses.

Use of force under these circumstances was found to be unreasonable and excessive under Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989), particularly given the low-level nature of the alleged offense and the Complainant’s physical condition and non-threatening behavior.

Internal Affairs Division exonerated both officers.

A civil lawsuit was filed against the City of Buffalo, the Buffalo Police Department, Police Officer Lawrence Briggs, and Police Officer Ryan Sanders. The lawsuit was settled for $210,000.

Cpl. Chad Bean shot and killed a 62-year old man after responding to call of an attempted break-in. Chief Medical Examiner determined cause of death was “homicide/shot by police.”

According to City of Rochester public records, Officer Allen plead guilty to the New York State violation disorderly conduct in Niagara Falls, NY City Court. There is no further information on the disorderly conduct charge.

Outcome

Officer Allen received ten days' suspension without pay

del Pozo harassed a local activist on social media, lied about it to the press, and then eventually admitted it and resigned when presented with evidence.

Police pulled over Bruce McNeil, a city resident, in May 2019 for a vehicle violation. The officers searched McNeil’s car, found nothing, and let him go without even a ticket for the license plate bulb they claimed was not working.

McNeil was mad about the stop. He believed his civil rights were violated, that they had no right or reason to search his car. And he found damage on the hood that he said police caused during the search.

McNeil went to file a complaint against the officers with Internal Affairs and he alleged in a civil lawsuit that a lieutenant on duty refused to accept his complaint and threatened to arrest him for possession of drugs if he did not leave.

McNeil left, but came back to the police station, this time with his mother, who demanded that he get a complaint filed. Police then arrested him on charges of possession of crack cocaine. The two officers alleged in the police report that they found the crack cocaine after a sweep of the police vehicle in the vicinity of where McNeil sat.

A judge did not believe the story. McNeil was acquitted by a bench trial and is now suing the city and the police officers for wrongful arrest.

During the arrest of several demonstrators during a protest at the statehouse, VCP Chief Romei threatened to arrest several journalists who attempted to document the event.

According to a suit, Officer Hasper made a false and retaliatory arrest and used excessive force in connection with the arrest

Around 2:40 a.m. on April 7, 2019, four Buffalo residents returned from Tim Horton’s and parked in one the resident's driveway. As they prepared to exit the vehicle, Buffalo Police Officers John Davidson and Patrick Garry approached in a patrol car. Without explanation the officers aggressively ordered them back into the car, issuing threats of lethal violence. Officer Garry said, “Get the fuck back into the vehicle,” and “Don’t move or I’ll end all of you right now, and put all of your brains over the dashboard.”

Two of the Buffalo residents explained to the officers that they had pre-existing leg injuries, but the officers proceeded to assault and repeatedly slam the vehicle doors on their legs, despite their protests. Officer Garry also punched one of the residents. The residents were then unlawfully detained, searched, and harassed, with no legal justification.

Officers placed the residents in a patrol car, searched the vehicle without cause, and emptied an unopened bottle of Hennessy. They also threatened nearby residents who attempted to record the encounter. Further misconduct included throwing one of the residents to the ground, stealing $300, and taking a cell phone.

When the residents asked the officers’ names to file a complaint, the officers refused, provided false information about their precinct, and continued their unlawful actions.

Outcome

A civil suit was brought against the City of Buffalo and both Buffalo Police officers. A settlement was reached for two of the plaintiffs for $5,001 each in 2021. Settlement was reached for $15,000 and $20,000 for the other two plaintiffs in 2024. The total amount that city was required to pay out to plaintiffs as a result of police brutality in this case was $45,002. There was no known disciplinary action taken against the officers.

Officer Cory Campbell punched Douglas Kilburn, who died three days later. Kilburn's death was ruled a homicide, but the attorney general did not pursue charges against Campbell. Campbell had responded to a University of Vermont Medical Center call that Kilburn was irate. After Kilburn saw his wife and was in his car outside, Campbell approached Kilburn again and told him to "shut the fuck up and leave", after which Kilburn left his car, punched Campbell, and Campbell punched him back, eventually killing him.

Buffalo Police officers forcibly removed from a vehicle and mercilessly beat Robert Closs, a 78 year old man who was well known to the Buffalo Police Department as a citizen with mental health problems. Closs died approximately three weeks later from blunt force trauma caused by the brutality.

Police say security from the Wegmans on Amherst Street reported a shoplifter at 11:20 p.m. An on-duty lieutenant who happened to be in the store was informed the suspect had ran.

Approximately eight minutes later, officers located the suspect, 47-year-old Marcus Neal, across the street. They chased Neal on foot to Gladstone Street. Police said Neal ran into a yard and climbed up onto a flat-roof garage. Multiple officers pursued him up there. According to police, once up there, he produced a knife but refused multiple requests to drop it. They claim that Neal then charged the officers with the knife, and one of the officers opened fire, striking him.

Neal’s family disputes the conclusion that nothing could have been done to spare his life and questions whether the events of that freezing night unfolded exactly as police have said.

Neal was transported to Erie County Medical Center and immediately put into surgery. He later died from his injuries.

Outcome

Because of the presence of an alleged knife, Neal’s death was not investigated by the New York State Attorney General, which, under Executive Order No. 147 acts as a special prosecutor in deaths of unarmed citizens by police.

The Erie County District Attorney’s Office did investigate. Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said that the shooting was justified. No charges were filed against the officer.

Officer Kelly Mackin fired her service weapon at a vehicle of suspect and hit it.

Outcome

administrative duty