The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of Brandon Zurkan, who died on March 1, 2023, following an encounter with members of law enforcement in Ontario County on February 28, 2023.
On the evening of February 28, deputies from the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) responded to reports of shots fired from a car driving erratically. After spotting the car, the deputies pursued Mr. Zurkan until his car struck a fence and became disabled near the intersection of South Main Street and Green Street in Canandaigua. Mr. Zurkan allegedly exited his car with a gun in his hand. Over a period of minutes, OCSO deputies and Canandaigua City Police Department officers told Mr. Zurkan to drop the gun. When Mr. Zurkan appeared to raise the gun, the deputies and officers fired. Mr. Zurkan was taken to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries. Officials recovered a gun at the scene.
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 caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.
These are preliminary facts and subject to change.
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