AG’s office: Oneonta officer justified in fatal shooting of man swinging knife at toddler

Oneonta Police Shooting

An Oneonta man armed with a knife was fatally shot by police in front of his River Street home in April. The NY Attorney General's Office announced the police shooting was justified on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. (Courtesy of the NY Attorney General's Office).

Oneonta, N.Y. — The New York State Attorney General’s Office announced Friday that the Oneonta police officer who fatally shot a man who was swinging a knife at a toddler in April was justified in his actions.

The announcement came after the AG’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) released its report on the death of Tyler Green, 23, of Oneonta.

On April 6, Green, his girlfriend and their nearly two-year-old son were at his home on River Street, according to a news release issued by the AG’s office. The girlfriend’s sister was also at the house, the AG’s office said.

The sister left the home because of violent threats made by Green, and secretly went to the Oneonta Police Department to report that she feared for her sister’s and the child’s lives, according to the release.

While conducting a wellness check just before 1 p.m. at the home, Oneonta officers found Green, his girlfriend and their child in the front yard of the home, according to the release. It was reported that Green had threatened to stab his girlfriend with a knife, according to the release.

Green pulled a knife from his pocket, lunged at his girlfriend and threatened to kill her, the AG’s office said.

The officers drew their guns, and instructed Green to put down the knife, according to the release. Green cut his girlfriend’s leg with the knife and then swung it at one of the officers, according to the release.

Green then grabbed his son by the leg and began swinging the knife at the toddler, the AG’s office said.

One of the officers fired two shots into Green, who immediately dropped the toddler, according to the release. Oneonta police Sgt. Ralph Pajerski was later identified as the officer who fired the fatal shots, according to New York state police.

The officers called an ambulance and began treating Green until it arrived, according to the release.

Green was airlifted to the Albany Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, troopers said.

Under New York’s justification law, the OSI concluded Pajerski was justified in his use of deadly force, according to the report. It was reasonable to believe that Green was about to use deadly physical force against the child and that only the officer’s use of deadly physical force could prevent him from doing so, according to the report.

“After a complete and exhaustive review of this incident, my office concluded that the officer was justified in his use of force to protect the life of a two-year old child,” Attorney General Letitia James said. “While this situation was tragic, it could have been even more devastating if not for the actions of the responding officers.”

The AG Office’s involvement in fatal police shootings or incidents started in 2015 with an executive order by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Before the order, local district attorneys were tasked with investigating fatal police shootings. But after a spate of controversial deaths at the hands of police, the governor ordered state prosecutors to take over cases in which the person turned out to be unarmed or there was a question whether the person had a weapon or not.

As of April, however, the state AG office has been ordered to take over all fatal shootings or incidents involving police officers.

Other cases where the AG has taken control include the fatal shooting by police of Jamesville teen Judson Albahm in March, and the 2019 fatal shooting by police of Syracuse’s DeWayne Watkins.

Staff writer James McClendon covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach him at 914-204-2815 or jmcclendon@syracuse.com.

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