NYS AG Will Not Pursue Charges Against State Trooper Involved In 2024 NYS Thruway Shooting

By Idy Perl

The New York State Attorney General has announced that they will not pursue criminal charges against state trooper who shot and killed a man who was firing at troopers during a traffic stop on January 3rd, 2024, on the New York State Thruway in Ramapo, as reported at the time by Rockland Daily. 

According to the incident report, two state troopers pulled over a car on the NYS Thruway in Ramapo as they believed it might be connected to a homicide in Albany. The driver, Rakim Tillery, exited his car and started firing at one of the officers, and attempted to grab the trooper's gun when the officer wrestled him down to the ground. Tillery was then shot four times by the officers and died of gunshot wounds. 

After a long investigation, the NYS Attorney General has announced that they will not pursue charges against the officers for using deadly force.

"Under the circumstances, a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt that the troopers were justified in using deadly physical force to defend themselves against Mr. (Rakim) Tillery’s use of deadly physical force," the AG's report stated.