Utica Police on Wednesday publicly released an edited video that includes 911 audio recordings and body cam footage from a fatal shooting that occurred the evening of Sept. 12.

Police said the person heard on the call was 61-year-old David Litts.

In a clip, the 911 dispatcher can be heard asking Litts questions as he makes suicidal statements and homicidal threats, adding that he is armed.


What You Need To Know

  • Utica Police have released audio and video recordings from a fatal shooting that happened on Sept. 12

  • Police said 61-year-old David Litts was shot after approaching officers with a knife

  • Utica Police and the NYS Attorney General's Office are investigating the incident

Police said a trained crisis intervention officer and a trained crisis negotiation officer tried to communicate with Litts.

Later in the footage, police requested a shotgun that shoots beanbag rounds. Shortly after, it appears Litts approached police.

That's when police said Sgt. Tyler Mowers and Officer Bryan Gil shot Litts. Then police said Litts was put in handcuffs and given CPR.

He died from his injuries.

Spectrum News 1 spoke with Utica Police Chief Mark Williams last week.

"This is really unfortunate that anybody lost their lives, and the amount of scrutiny that any police officer has to go through when deadly physical force is used, the public has no concept," he said.

Police said they released the audio and video clips to provide a better understanding of what transpired.

The New York State Attorney General's Office is completing a criminal investigation into the shooting. The Utica Police Department is handling an internal administrative investigation.