BAY SHORE, NY – A Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) officer was slashed multiple times with a knife before officers opened fire, killing Taiquell Woodson on February 17, 2024, in Bay Shore. New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) released a report today, September 26, 2025, concluding that criminal charges against the officers involved will not be pursued.
The incident unfolded at approximately 9:10 a.m. when SCPD responded to a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute at a residence in Bay Shore. Upon arrival, officers approached the house and one officer knocked on the front door. Moments later, Taiquell Woodson emerged wielding both a knife and an expandable baton. According to the OSI report, Woodson immediately attacked the officer, inflicting multiple cuts with the knife.
A second officer, along with the officer initially attacked, discharged their service weapons, striking Woodson. Emergency Medical Services transported Woodson to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The injured officer received treatment for their wounds and was subsequently discharged. Investigators recovered the knife and baton used in the assault at the scene.
The OSI conducted a thorough investigation, reviewing body-worn camera footage, security camera recordings, interviews with the involved officers and witnesses, and undertaking a comprehensive legal analysis. The report centers around New York’s justification law, which permits officers to use deadly force when they reasonably believe it’s necessary to defend against the use of deadly physical force by another. Given Woodson’s armed attack on an officer, the OSI determined that the officers’ actions fell within legal parameters.
“Under these circumstances,” the OSI report states, “given the law and the evidence, a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officers’ use of deadly physical force against Taiquell Woodson was justified.” The report details that Woodson’s aggressive actions, armed with both a knife and baton, created a situation where the officers reasonably feared for their lives.
The decision to clear the officers is likely to spark debate, particularly in a climate of heightened scrutiny of police use of force. However, the OSI’s findings are based on a strict interpretation of New York law and a careful examination of the evidence. The full OSI report is available to the public, offering a detailed account of the events leading up to the fatal shooting of Taiquell Woodson in Bay Shore.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: NY AG
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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