NY State Troopers Shoot and Kill Nancy Loftus in Deerpark

DEERPARK, NY – Nancy Loftus, 52, is dead after being shot by New York State Police troopers in the early hours of Saturday morning. The incident unfolded after a 911 call reporting an assault with a knife at a residence in Deerpark, Orange County. The Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has launched a full investigation into the shooting, standard procedure when a civilian dies in an encounter with law enforcement.

According to the Attorney General’s office, troopers arrived at the scene at approximately 2:30 a.m. on April 12, 2025. Upon arrival, they encountered Loftus outside the home allegedly wielding what appeared to be a firearm. Troopers immediately instructed her to drop the weapon, and then opened fire, striking her with their service weapons.

Loftus was rushed to a local hospital, but succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead. A search of the scene revealed the weapon Loftus was holding was, in fact, an imitation pistol. The specifics of the initial 911 call – details about the alleged assault with a knife – remain murky and are now central to the OSI investigation.

The Attorney General’s OSI unit is mandated by New York State Executive Law Section 70-b to investigate any incident where a police or peace officer *may* have caused a death, regardless of whether the officer was on-duty, the deceased was armed, or if the deceased was in custody. This broad mandate ensures independent oversight of potentially lethal force used by law enforcement.

“OSI assesses every incident reported to it…If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident,” a statement from the Attorney General’s office read. This investigation is in its preliminary stages, and the facts are subject to change as the OSI gathers evidence and interviews witnesses.

Grimy Times will continue to follow this developing story and provide updates as they become available. The incident raises questions about the quick escalation to lethal force and the challenges officers face in rapidly assessing threats, particularly in low-light conditions. The full investigation report will be crucial in determining whether the troopers’ actions were justified under the circumstances.

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