NY attorney general opens investigation into police shooting of Massapequa man

Three days after a 19-year-old Massapequa man was shot and killed by police after he allegedly pointed a loaded handgun at them outside his home, the New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation announced Monday it will investigate the circumstances of the shooting.

The Attorney General’s Office said state law requires the Office of Special Investigation to review every incident where a police or peace officer “may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission.”

On Saturday, Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said one officer, assigned to the Emergency Services Unit, shot and killed David Clements after he allegedly rushed toward police — pointing a loaded 9 mm handgun equipped with a light at officers.

In its statement Monday, the Attorney General’s Office said the officer involved “fired his service weapon at Mr. Clements three times.”

Clements was pronounced dead at the scene by a police medic.

Ryder said officers responded to the home on Stone Boulevard at about 8:30 p.m. Friday, following a 911 call reporting a suicidal man.

The police commissioner said a neighbor placed the 911 call after Clements showed up at his residence with a weapon, saying he wanted to kill himself.

Arriving at the home, Ryder said, responding officers found Clements outside holding handguns. He said Clements, who reportedly had a history of mental illness, was holding a gun in each hand — pointing the weapons at his head. Ryder said Clements did not follow police instructions to drop the weapons, but having yelled at officers, “Tell my mother I love her. I don’t want to live,” instead went back into the home only to reemerge moments later flashing the loaded gun.

“He was threatening to kill himself several times,” Ryder said. “The officers gave him directions to drop the weapon … at some point that individual ran back into his house for a second, turned around, came out with a loaded 9 mm handgun with a very bright flashlight on it” — and ran down the driveway toward officers. Police said two guns later recovered were BB guns.

The third gun recovered was a loaded 9 mm, police said.

On Saturday, Ryder called the shooting a tragedy for both the family of Clements and the officer involved, but he believed it was “by the book” and said the department would cooperate with the Attorney General’s Office. Ryder also said officers were all wearing body cameras — and video of the incident is being reviewed.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”