GOSHEN – Two Port Jervis City Police officers have been cleared in connection with the fatal shooting of a man who charged them with a knife in an attempt to have the officers kill him, according to an investigation in the case.
Charles Parker, Jr., 47, came after the officers while armed with the knife and disregarded repeated commands to drop it.
he investigation found Parker was suffering from mental health issues.
Separate from the grand jury findings, which are secret, District Attorney David Hoovler’s Office conducted an investigation detailing the facts of the March 19, 2020 incident.
That report said as Parker lunged forward, Officer Jesse Clune fired three shots and Officer Andrew Haniuk fired one. Another officer fired a taser, which did not work because only one of the two probes struck him.
Parker was struck with four bullets.
An autopsy found he had a blood alcohol content of .205 and had ingested two anti-depressant medications. A blood alcohol content of .08 percent is the legal limit in New York.
Two days before the incident, Parker sent an electronic message to a family member in which he said, “I love you, forgive everything I done,” and that he loved his family and that he would see them in heaven.
Hoovler said after reviewing all of the facts and circumstances in the shooting, the police officers’ actions in this case were justified under the New York State Penal Law.
