Body-worn camera footage shows the moment police shot and killed Brendon Burns, 35, in the backyard
By: 0:00 - Rochester police
12:57 - Monroe County Sheriff's Office
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Police released body camera video Friday of a fatal officer-involved shooting last week in the Park Avenue neighbor.
Officers and deputies shot and killed Brendon Burns, 35, March 20 during an encounter on Barrington Street.
The Rochester Police Department and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office each provided body-worn camera footage of the incident.
Police said Burns was involved in two shootings — one the night of March 17 on Monroe Avenue in the city, and another the morning of March 20 in Brighton.
Police say the encounter happened during an investigation into Burns regarding two separate shooting incidents. The first occurred on March 17 in Rochester, and another just days later in Brighton on March 23. That's when police say they tried pulling Burns over, but he refused to stop.
Police stopped their pursuit and set up a perimeter near Burns' home on Milburn Street. Around 1 p.m. that afternoon, police say they spotted Burns returning home.
Investigators say they tried to approach him on Vassar Street, when deputies say Burns pulled out a hunting knife and threatened them.
Deputies fired at least one shot as Burns ran. Police chased him through several yards in the Park Avenue neighbor, and at one point, they crossed through the parking lot of Francis Parker School No. 23.
The pursuit ended in a backyard on Barrington Street, where police say Burns aimed a shotgun towards police and refused to drop it, prompting officers and deputies to shoot him.
Investigators say, in total, two members of the Rochester Police Department and three members of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office fired shots while attempting to take Brendon Burns into custody.
Following the shooting, officers say they immediately attempted life-saving efforts and called for an ambulance, but Burns was pronounced dead at the scene.
While the New York State Attorney General’s Office and the Professional Standards Section continues their investigations, the two members of RPD involved in the shooting have been assigned to administrative functions.
The New York State Attorney General's Office investigation is required under state law, as the OSI investigates every fatal encounter involving police.