Poughkeepsie officer-involved shooting deemed 'justified'

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — An officer-involved shooting in Poughkeepsie in December 2024 has been deemed "justified," the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday. An investigation had been launched after three police officers discharged their weapons during an incident with Kevin Fitzpatrick of Poughkeepsie.

On Dec. 22, 2024, around 10:16 a.m., police responded to a 911 call from Fitzpatrick about an armed man at an apartment building at 17 Rose Street. Upon arrival, the officers were confronted with an armed individual that fit the reported description, officials said. The armed man was later discovered to be Fitzpatrick.

According to the investigation into the incident, Fitzpatrick pulled what appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol from his waistband and pointed it in the direction of the police officers. He also allegedly ignored police commands.

Three officers discharged their guns, the investigation said, injuring Fitzpatrick. The police then reportedly secured the suspect and administered aid, including a tourniquet, before identifying him as the original caller, Fitzpatrick, and finding an additional gun in his waistband.

According to the original police report, an uninvolved bystander had also been shot during the incident. The victim has remained unidentified and police have not said who shot them.

The investigation into the incident, conducted by the Dutchess County Grand Jury, reportedly considered testimony from the three police officers that discharged their weapons and other law enforcement officers and civilians. The jury also reviewed the original false 911 call from Fitzpatrick, footage from security cameras and body-worn cameras and analysis from the crime scene, the DA said.

The jury determined that the three officers that discharged their guns "were justified in their use of deadly physical force during the incident," the DA announced in a press release. Fitzpatrick was also reportedly indicted on multiple charges, listed as follows, and the date of his arraignment has not yet been set, the DA's Office told NEWS10.

Charges

• Three counts of menacing a police officer
• First-degree reckless endangerment
• Falsely reporting an incident

Dutchess County DA Anthony Parisi said that his office will release the full video footage from the officers' body cameras once Fitzpatrick's criminal prosecution is complete. The office stated that the footage release "is in line with ethical restrictions and aims to maintain the integrity of the ongoing legal proceedings."

"As District Attorney, my responsibility in investigating a police-involved shooting is to ensure that the process is not only thorough and fair, but also transparent," Parisi said. "Justice in these cases is paramount, and the community must have confidence that the investigation is conducted with the highest integrity, fairness, and accountability."