Man fatally shot by Buffalo police identified, allegedly fired shotgun after officers arrived
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A man who was fatally shot by Buffalo police Saturday morning allegedly discharged one round from a shotgun, which led officers to return fire, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said during a Saturday press conference.
Gramaglia said officers responded to a report of a man with a gun just before 10 a.m. on the 100 block of Reed Street. When police arrived on the scene, they allegedly encountered a man holding a 12 gauge shotgun in the middle of the street.
Police identified the man on Sunday as 58-year-old Edward Holmes of Buffalo.
Officers exited their vehicles at a distance and gave “numerous” commands for Holmes to drop the weapon, and within 30 seconds of police arriving, the individual allegedly discharged the shotgun once, according to Gramaglia. It is not yet clear what direction the individual fired the shot.
Upon the firing of the weapon, two Buffalo police officers returned fire and struck the man, Gramaglia said. Buffalo police and fire officials rendered aid to him on the scene, but he was later pronounced deceased.
Gramaglia said it was too early to know how many shots officers fired or how many times the man was struck.
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Police detectives traced back the 911 call regarding a man with a gun, and it is believed the phone number used in the call belonged to the man who was fatally shot, according to Gramaglia. He later added that the 911 call mentioned somebody in the street with a gun, a description that matched the man who was shot and that the individual “may shoot” when officers arrived.
Gramaglia said that police are continuing to investigate the incident and go over body cam footage, which he expects to be released within the next week.
“This is a terrible situation,” Gramaglia said. “It’s very unfortunate that it ended like this. It’s terrible for the family, terrible for the officers that had to respond to that and unfortunately were put in that position where they had to discharge their weapons. That’s something they’re going to live with and it’s going to be with them.”
The two officers who fired their weapons were placed on administrative leave in accordance with standard police protocol. They have not yet been identified. Additionally, Gramaglia said the New York Attorney General’s Office has begun its investigation into the incident, as it does with all fatal officer-involved shootings.
You can watch Gramaglia’s full press conference below.
This is a developing story, check back later for updates.
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Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here.
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