Trooper Shoot and Kills 18-year-old Who Tried to Stab Woman with Scissors

Authorities say an 18-year-old man was shot and killed by a New York State Trooper in Chemung on Sunday after threatening a woman during a domestic dispute. The shooting happened on Rotary Road shortly after 3pm when troopers and a Chemung County Sheriff’s deputy were dispatched to a report of an active physical disturbance inside a home.

According to police, when officers entered the residence they encountered a woman in the living room being menaced by a man armed with a pair of scissors. The suspect, identified as Nathan J. Novakowski ignored repeated orders to drop the weapon and became “increasingly agitated,” investigators said.

Police reported that the situation escalated when Novakowski attempted to stab the woman. At that moment, a trooper fired his service weapon striking Novakowski and fatally wounding him. The woman sustained minor injuries during the altercation and was treated on scene by Greater Valley Ambulance personnel.

The case is now being investigated by the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation with oversight from the New York State Attorney General’s Office, which is required by state law in all incidents where a law enforcement officer’s use of force results in death.

No additional details about the shooting are available at this time. An investigation is ongoing.

Trooper Shoot and Kills 18-year-old Who Tried to Stab Woman with Scissors