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OCSO releases body-cam footage, information on officer-related shooting

Gio Battaglia and Brennan Somers

CAUTION: Attached video may be disturbing to some viewers.

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. (WROC) — A month after a man was shot dead by police in Canandaigua, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office has released body-cam footage, as well as an update into their investigation.

On February 28, the OCSO said 31-year-old Pennsylvania resident Brandon M. Zurkan was shot dead by two officers and two deputies after an incident that took place near Main Street in Canandaigua.

ISOLATED SLOW MOTION VIDEO OF SUSPECT JUST BEFORE SHOOTING:

The initial call came to police that night around 11:28 p.m. from a man who reported he was following a sedan eastbound on Route 5 in the Town of East Bloomfield.

In addition to the original 911 caller, OCSO found a second witness in the Town of West Bloomfield that heard a gunshot as Zurkan’s vehicle drove past their home.

The OSCO says Zurkan failed to comply and continued to drive erratically, going through the front lawn of the Byrne Dairy on West Avenue before continuing southbound.

Zurkan fired multiple shots from his vehicle. The deputy continued to follow Zurkan, where the suspect drove through a fence at the City Mini on S Main Street and struck a curb, causing the vehicle to become disabled, according to OSCO.

The OCSO says two sheriff’s deputies and two City police officers fired at Zurkan and struck him. Officers immediately detained Zurkan and requested an ambulance while assessing the incident.

Zurkan had the following weapons and drugs in his vehicle:

All of the substances listed above were in containers that were prescribed to Zurkan. Both firearms were legally purchased by Zurkan in Pennsylvania.

The OCSO adds that five spent .45 caliber shell casings were located on S. Pearl Street in the City of Canandaigua in the area where the deputy following Zurkan indicated he heard shots being fired. They say the casings were consistent with the ammunition in the .45 caliber handgun possessed by Zurkan during this incident.

The OCSO says that a week prior to the incident, Zurkan had applied to jobs in the Buffalo, Syracuse, and Southern Tier areas — to which he was not offered employment to any of those applications. They add there is no developed reason as to why Zurkan was in Ontario County.

Zurkan was taken to F.F. Thompson Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.

(Photo courtesy of Ontario County Sheriff’s Office)

The OCSO and the Canandaigua Police Department says their investigation into the incident is closed. The New York State Attorney General’s Office will continue its investigation.

FULL BODY CAM FOOTAGE FROM ONTARIO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE: