The Breitkopf shooting case: A timeline

DiGeronimo enters his home at the corner of Front and Fourth. Lewis follows and as he approaches and enters the home, the officer encounters DiGeronimo's parents. David DiGeronimo tells Lewis that his son is not a problem but has "emotional issues."

DiGeronimo's mother, Joanne, is controlling the family dogs as other officers arrive, their guns drawn. David DiGeronimo pleads with officers not to harm his son, who is now in his bedroom toward the back of the house, refusing to come out.

DiGeronimo emerges from his room and strides toward police, a knife held above his head. He ignores orders to drop the weapon. Officers Lewis and Richard McDonald shoot, killing DiGeronimo.

Outside, uniformed police officers have arrived, as have MTA police officers Glenn Gentile and Jose Ramos. The pair briefly enter the house and, after determining that the situation inside is secure, go outside to help other officers with crowd control.

Breitkopf retrieves an M-4 rifle from the trunk. There are no reports of him identifying himself as a police officer as he approaches the house, nor do witnesses recall seeing his shield displayed. Rentas, who is behind Breitkopf, recalls making his shield visible.

As Breitkopf moves to the house, a retired NYPD sergeant, John Cafarella -- who came there after seeing the earlier street encounter with DiGeronimo -- sees a man in civilian clothes carrying an assault rifle with a magazine and shoulder strap. He later reports that he probably said the word "gun."

Gentile sees Breitkopf, whom he mistakes for a civilian, walk past him.

Ramos, who also doesn't know Breitkopf is a cop, grabs his shoulder with one hand and his gun with the other. Breitkopf yanks his shoulder from Ramos' grasp. Two uniformed Nassau officers also attempt to stop Breitkopf. Gentile sees the rifle Breitkopf carries raised and moving, pointed toward the officers, and perceives this as "a deadly threat."

Gentile fires a lethal shot to Breitkopf's chest. As other officers try to handcuff Breitkopf, Rentas tells them he is a police officer.