A New York state trooper — a Marine Corps combat veteran who was twice named “Trooper of the Year” — has been indicted for the deadly shooting of a driver in Buffalo following a 100-mph chase.
Anthony Nigro IV, who has served with the State Police for nearly 16 years, was arraigned in Erie County Supreme Court on Monday on two counts of first- and second-degree manslaughter.
Nigro pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from the Feb. 12, 2022, killing of 38-year-old James Huber, from Pennsylvania, according to a statement from New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The charges against Nigro were filed by James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI), which examines cases related to police-involved fatalities.
A prosecutor asked state Supreme Court Justice William Boller to set Nigro’s bail at $250,000, but the judge sided with the trooper’s defense attorney, who requested that he be released on his own recognizance, reported the Buffalo News.
If convicted of the top charge, Nigro could face up to 25 years in prison.
According to the police, on the morning of the incident, troopers got a call about Huber, who was seen speeding and driving erratically on I-90 and then on I-190.
Troopers started chasing Huber, but the pursuit was called off after the driver struck a state police car and exited the highway.
A short time later, Huber stopped his car near the intersection of Washington Street and East Eagle Street in Buffalo.
As seen in body camera videos that were released by James’ office in March, Nigro approached Huber’s car with his gun drawn and yelled at him to get out.
Nigro’s body-worn camera shows Huber turning away from the trooper and telling him to “go away” as he refuses to exit the vehicle.
Huber is seen reaching for something around the central console inside his car.
The trooper then reaches inside the vehicle to grab Huber by the hood of his sweatshirt with one hand as he fires twice with the other, causing the car to lurch forward and crash.
When Nigro looks inside Huber’s car, which flipped on its side, he is heard saying, “You dumbass.”
Huber was pronounced dead at the scene. He was unarmed.
State Troopers Police Benevolent Association president Charles Murphy released a statement Monday arguing that Nigro should not have been criminally charged because he acted in line with “his training and the law” and “was justified in his use of force.”
Murphy pointed a finger of blame at Huber’s “dangerous actions” that he said threatened other drivers.
“We believe that, at the conclusion of this matter, Trooper Nigro will be exonerated of any misconduct and the charges against him will be dismissed,” Murphy added.
Nigro is a decorated law enforcement officer and previously received the “Troop T Trooper of the Year” and “Troop T Zone 4 Trooper of the Year.” He has served 22 years with the US Marine Corps Reserves, including active-duty combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
