LEWIS COUNTY, NY – DEATH AFTER ENCOUNTER
The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of Victor Craighead, a 45-year-old man who died on March 28, 2026 following an encounter with members of the New York State Police (NYSP) in the town of Diana, Lewis County.
According to preliminary facts, in the evening on March 27, NYSP troopers responded to the area of a mobile home on Alpine Road in Diana following a 911 call. During the early morning hours of March 28, Mr. Craighead came out of the mobile home armed with a long gun and fired at troopers who were in an armored vehicle. One trooper discharged his service weapon, striking Mr. Craighead. Mr. Craighead was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers recovered a long gun at the scene.
Under New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.
The investigation is ongoing, and these preliminary facts are subject to change. The OSI will review all evidence and conduct interviews with witnesses and involved parties to determine the circumstances surrounding Mr. Craighead’s death.
As the investigation continues, the community is left to wonder about the events that led to the tragic outcome. The New York State Police has released a statement expressing condolences to the family of Mr. Craighead and acknowledging the ongoing investigation by the OSI.
The OSI will provide periodic updates on the investigation as more information becomes available. For now, the community is left to await the outcome of the investigation and the truth about what happened in Lewis County on March 28, 2026.
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