‘Horrifying’: NYPD footage shows speedy escalation of Ozone Park police shooting that left teen dead

Graphic footage was released of the police shooting that left Ozone Park teen Win Rozario dead after he called 911 amidst a mental health episode in March. Screenshot via State Attorneys General’s Office 

By Ryan Schwach

Less than three minutes after arriving at an Ozone Park home around a month ago, two police officers shot and killed a teen having an apparent mental health crisis as his brother and mother watched, newly released body-worn camera footage shows.

On Friday afternoon, Attorney General Letitia James released the harrowing footage of the March 27 shooting, which left 19-year-old Win Rozario dead.

The graphic and troubling videos from the cameras of the two responding officers show how quickly the incident escalated to a violent shooting that resulted in the death of a teen who had himself called 911 in a bid for help.

Rozario’s family, advocates and local elected officials reacted with horror at the details of the videos and called for the immediate firing of the two officers involved, Matthew J. Cianfrocco and Salvatore J. Alongi. Even Mayor Eric Adams was reluctant to defend the actions of the officers on Friday – though he also refrained from condemning them.

The videos, one from each officer, span three minutes and five seconds and show the events from the officers’ arrival to the fatal shots.

Around 1:30 p.m. on March 27, Cianfrocco and Alongi, who worked out of the 102nd Precinct, arrived at the two-family home around 103rd Street and 101st Avenue in Ozone Park.

The officers were originally called to the scene after Rozario had called emergency responders himself.

The video footage shows the officers approach the house, where Rozario’s younger brother, 17-year-old Utsho, greeted them at the front door.

“What’s up man, you called?” Alongi said.

“My brother did,” Utsho responded.

Alongi then asked what was going on with his brother, to which Utsho said, “He’s having an episode.”

Alongi further questioned the brother asking, “Is he a bi-polar, schizo, like?”

Utsho said, “No,” and then told the officers that his brother didn’t “even know what he is doing, to be honest.”

At around the one minute mark on the video, the officers enter the home, and continue asking Utsho questions, including if Rozario had taken anything, or was high on drugs. Utsho said he wasn’t high and hadn’t taken any drugs.

“Is he diagnosed with anything?” Alongi asked.

“I’m not sure,” Utsho responded.

The brother led the officers up the stairs to the second floor, Alongi in front and Cianfrocco behind him.

When they arrived on the second floor, they entered a living room area. Rozario’s mother, Notan Ava Costa, was at the threshold to the kitchen, with Rozario behind her.

“What’s up, pal,” Alongi asked.

Neither Rozario nor his mother responded to the officers’ question. Instead, Rozario led his mother into the kitchen and then reached into a drawer and pulled out a pair of scissors.

As Ava Costa attempted to grab the scissors, Rozario moved around her and toward the officers, who then backed up into the living room.

Alongi almost immediately pulled out his Taser, while Cianfrocco pulled out his gun.

Alongi then fired his Taser, striking Rozario. Despite the discharge of the Taser, Ava Costa continued to hold onto her son.

“Let go of him, and back up,” the police shout. “Let go of him, miss”

Utsho, who was standing to the left of police, said, “Please don’t shoot my mother,” a phrase he continued to beg from the officers throughout the remainder of the incident.

Rozario then fell to the ground and Ava Costa grabbed the scissors. After a few seconds, Rozario stood back up.

Ava Costa walked back to Rozario, holding the scissors and apparently speaking to Rozario, as Utsho continued to ask the officers not to shoot his mother.

“We’re not, just tell [her] to get the f–k out of the way,” Alongi responded.

At the two minute and five mark in the footage, Ava Costa is seen holding the scissors while Rozario held her from behind.

After the officers asked again for Ava Costa to move, she placed the scissors on the adjacent dining room chair and moved away.

“Don’t shoot,” she says.

That’s when Alongi fired his Taser a second time, hitting Rozario, who at that point was completely unarmed and standing against the kitchen counter.

Rozario fell back slightly before pulling off the Taser nodes, grabbing the scissors from the chair and moving toward the officers.

Cianfrocco then fired his Taser, hitting Rozario again, who continued to move forward toward the officers, who move back into the living room

At around the two minute and 21 second mark, both officers swap their Tasers for their guns.

Rozario moved forward at the cops, with Ava Costa behind him.

One of the officers is heard saying, “get down.” Cianfrocco then shot at Rozario once, though it is unclear if the bullet struck him.

The words “shoot him” are audible in the video as the scene continued to escalate.

Utsho shouted for Ava Costa and ran toward her and Rozario. Utsho held onto her mother, attempting to drag her into the living room, while, in turn, his mother held onto Rozario, attempting to calm him down.

NYPD Officers Matthew J. Cianfrocco and Salvatore J. Alongi fired a combined five shots during the incident, which transpired in less than three minutes. Screenshot via State Attorneys General’s Office 

“Get out of the way,” an officer shouted.

“Please do not shoot my mom,” Utsho said again, apologizing for the situation.

At that point, Alongi was back at the end of the room, fiddling with his firearm. Amid the struggle, the scissors were dropped to the ground.

Utsho and Ava Costa then fell to the floor, and Rozario picked up the scissors and stood up straight.

“No, no, no,” Cianfrocco is heard saying.

Cianfrocco then yelled, “put it down” before firing a single shot into Rozario's upper torso as the teen took a step in the officer’s direction.

The officers again told Rozario to put down the scissors before firing three more shots into Rozario’s body.

At the two minute and 59 second mark, Cianfrocco fired what was the fifth shot in the entire incident and Rozario fell to the ground.

“Please don’t shoot!” Rozario’s mother can be heard saying as the footage ends.

‘An execution’

Immediately following the release of the footage, advocates addressed the violent nature of the footage, and the two officers’ alleged failure to de-escalate the situation.

“The footage is horrifying – this was an execution,” said Loyda Colon, the executive director of the Justice Committee. “From the start, the insulting language made clear these cops shouldn’t be interacting with anyone who might have or be perceived to have mental health complexities.”

Win Rozario, 19-year-old from Ozone Park, and his family. Photo via Justice Committee

“The video shows that the way these cops came in created a crisis situation that they unilaterally escalated multiple times,” Colon added. “The cops made no attempt to de-escalate the crisis they created or engage with Win and his family other than to bark orders, tase and shoot.”

The advocates, as well as the family, who had already seen the footage, called on the firing and prosecution of Alongi and Cianfrocco on Friday.

“It’s been over a month since we lost Win and our hearts are broken,” the family said in a statement. “We feel his absence every day. Reliving this is traumatic and painful. We wish it wasn’t necessary for the video to be public.”

“The video that was released makes it clear that Win should be alive but the police came and murdered him in our kitchen without any care for him or us,” they added. “The police created a crisis and killed him in cold blood. The officers should be fired and prosecuted for murder as soon as possible.”

City Councilmember Lynn Schulman, who leads the Council’s Health Committee and has passed a number of laws related to mental health, had not seen the footage when the Eagle spoke to her Friday afternoon, but said what happened in the video wouldn’t change her opinion – the city should rethink its response to mental health-related incidents.

“My answer is the same, this is about our mental health system and we need a better mental health response so these types of situations don't happen again,” she said. “Regardless of the video, this shouldn't have happened. We have to find a better way to deal with these mental health issues.”

In response to the footage’s release, the NYPD said it is fully cooperating with the investigation, and Alongi and Cianfrocco remain on modified assignment, working without their shields or guns.

Following Win Rozario’s death in March, community members protested calling for justice for the 19-year-old and his family. Eagle file photo by Ryan Schwach

In a separate statement, Mayor Eric Adams didn’t defend the officers’ actions, but didn’t condemn them either.

“My heart is broken, and I share the profound pain felt by New Yorkers after watching the tragic video of the incident resulting in the death of Winn [sic] Rozario,” he said. “The thought of a parent burying their child, let alone witnessing their child's final moments, is unimaginable. Our deepest condolences go out to Winn [sic] friends, family, and loved ones during this unfathomably difficult time.”

“As your mayor, I am committed to continuing this lifelong mission and ensuring that Winn’s [sic] death is not in vain,” he added. “While the Attorney General’s investigation is still ongoing, I want to be clear that her office has New York City’s full cooperation. Out of respect for the process, I will avoid commenting any further, except to underscore the critical importance of learning from this profound loss and using it as a catalyst for positive change, particularly in how we police and care for those living with severe mental illness.”