Body Cam, Drone Footage Released In Fatal Bristol Police Shooting

BRISTOL, CT — An initial report into the fatal police shooting of a city man says the officer told him to drop his weapon and show his hands “several times.”

On Monday, the state Division of Criminal Justice released a preliminary status report by the Office of Inspector General, which has an ongoing investigation into the Oct. 16 shooting.

Officials have identified the deceased as Jakub Dziemaszkiewicz, 43, of Woodbridge Road.

The preliminary investigation shows police received telephone calls from two of the man’s friends around 8:38 p.m. Friday. The callers said they were concerned about his well-being and asked officers to check on him at his residence, at 43 Woodbridge Rd.

One of the callers told police Dziemaszkiewicz possessed numerous firearms and “he would not go down without a fight,” officials said.

Police searched databases and determined Dziemaszkiewicz had registered more than a dozen firearms. Police dispatched officers to the residence and sent a drone to fly overhead.

Four officers arrived and parked their cruisers down the street, with the plan of approaching on foot, officials said.

Officer Mark McGrane went ahead to scout out the residence, and when he approached the yard, Dziemaszkiewicz was near a tree line holding a rifle, according to the initial report.

“McGrane told him several times to drop the weapon and show his hands,” the report states.

McGrane then fired three shots, hitting Dziemaszkiewicz in the face, neck and torso. Dziemaszkiewicz was pronounced dead at the scene. Police found a rifle and a Glock semi-automatic pistol next to his body, according to the report.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on Sunday and ruled the man’s death a homicide due to gunshot wounds of the head, neck and torso. Toxicology results are pending.

The Office of Inspector General on Monday also released video footage from McGrane’s body-worn camera and the drone. The audio is currently being withheld.

Bristol Police Chief Mark Morello spoke at a press conference at police headquarters Monday, outlining what transpired.

According to Morello, responding officers staged at a location away from the residence to gather additional information and develop a plan of action. That plan included awaiting the arrival of a trained negotiator before trying to make contact, he said.

As part of their planning, McGrane moved to adjacent yards in an effort to visually observe the residence, Morello said. It was during this process when McGrane encountered Dziemaszkiewicz, who had moved away from his home to a nearby wooded area, he said. The location was in nearly total darkness, and provided a vantage point overlooking his front yard, front door and driveway, according to Morello, who said the man was armed with both a rifle and a handgun.

“I want to express my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Dziemaszkiewicz for their loss,” Morello said.

The incident comes about four years after a suspect killed two Bristol police officers in an ambush attack.

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