VALHALLA, NY (July 11, 2023) — Jarrell Garris has died at the age of 37. He passed away on Monday, a week after he was shot by New Rochelle Police Detective Steve Conn following an incident where Garris resisted arrest and, according to police, grabbed at another officer’s gun, following an alleged shoplifting incident. The family has labeled the officer-involved shooting an “execution”.
Garris Family Statement
It is with great sorrow that we confirm that our son, father, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend has transitioned. We are committed to getting Justice for Jarrell and submit that if the City of New Rochelle is sincere about its commitment to transparency and it’s not just a veneer, all videos of Jarrell’s execution should be released immediately. We ask for prayer and peace as we prepare to memorialize him.
City of New Rochelle statement:
The involvement of a New Rochelle police officer in a shooting, no matter how rare, and no matter the circumstances, is a trauma for our entire community. For the family and friends of Jarrell Garris, that trauma is infinitely more personal, and our thoughts are with them at a moment of heavy, painful grief.
We recognize that this incident raises a range of questions and concerns; yet, many cannot be addressed until a thorough, outside investigation is completed.
The City is dedicated to supporting the investigative process in any and every appropriate way, and we welcome the oversight of the New York State Attorney General.
As public discussion continues, we remain committed to openness, respectful dialogue, and constructive action, with the goal now and always of building a community that is safe and just for all of its residents.
Statement by Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation
The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation has opened an investigation into the death of Jarrell Garris, who died on July 10, 2023 following an encounter with members of the New Rochelle Police Department on July 3, 2023.
On the afternoon of July 3, NRPD officers responded to a complaint at a store on 33 Lincoln Avenue. When officers arrived, they encountered Mr. Garris outside the store. During the encounter, an officer fired his weapon and Mr. Garris was shot. Mr. Garris was taken to a local hospital, where he later died of his injuries.
Pursuant to 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. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.
These are preliminary facts and subject to change.
Statement by Rep. Jamaal Bowman Following Death Jarrell Garris in New Rochelle
I am sending my deepest condolences to the friends and family of Jarrell Garris. He should be alive today and back home in North Carolina with his son. Instead, even though the police knew he experienced schizophrenia, he was shot and killed after police accused him of stealing food from a nearby grocery store. Police brutality has been sickening our country and taking the lives of our loved ones for decades. We must protect the Black bodies that are the most vulnerable and root out the police brutality that has spread to every corner of our country. Let’s begin the process of curing America of its anti-Black racism that is so intricately and intentionally woven into the fabric of every American system and institution. It’s time to enact and pass federal, state and local legislation that holds law enforcement accountable and takes a public health approach to public safety. Police cannot be the only officials involved when it comes to public safety – we need social workers, community members, doctors, and more to ensure safety for everyone. We cannot lose any more precious lives to senseless police killings.
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