AG's Office of Special Investigation launchs probe into fatal police-involved shooting of Taiquell Woodson, of Bay Shore

The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation has launched a probe into the shooting death of a Bay Shore man following an encounter with members of the Suffolk County Police Department on Saturday morning, the agency said in a news release Tuesday evening.

A police officer shot and killed Taiquell Woodson, 33, after he charged at officers in the snow and stabbed one of them several times while police were responding to a domestic dispute call, Suffolk police said.

Woodson had been armed with a large knife, according to department officials. The officer, who has not been identified, suffered injuries to his hand, both forearms and his face. He was treated at a hospital and released, officials said.

“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,” the attorney general's office said in its announcement.

A full investigation follows when the OSI finds an officer caused a death during its initial assessment.

Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed, the attorney general's office said.

Acting Suffolk Police Commissioner Robert Waring called Woodson's shooting “justified” at a news conference Saturday.

Woodson family members have not returned telephone calls seeking comment.

Officers responded to Woodson's home on Udall Road in Bay Shore after Woodson’s wife called 911 to report a domestic dispute after Woodson became violent, police said Saturday. A 1-year-old child was also at the scene, police said.

The attorney general's office said officers responded to the location at approximately 9:10 a.m. When the officers arrived, Woodson opened the front door holding a knife and a baton and allegedly slashed one of the officers with the knife. A second officer attempted to use his Taser to subdue Woodson, and a third officer fired his service weapon.

After the shooting, officers at the scene provided CPR to Woodson, who was pronounced dead at South Shore University Hospital.

The injured officer was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, where his wounds were treated before he was released. Two other officers involved in the incident were also taken to Stony Brook and released Saturday. It is not clear when the officers will return to work, police said.

On Monday, Newsday reported that Suffolk police's Internal Affairs Bureau is probing what the department called “the unauthorized release” of body camera footage showing officers fatally shooting Woodson.

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.