On May 26, 2013 in New Rochelle, 48-year-old Samuel Cruz died after an encounter with police at his apartment on 18 Hickory Street. Cruz’s estranged wife had called police that afternoon, reporting he was off his medication, acting irrationally, and would not answer the door. Officers made verbal contact through the locked door and eventually forced entry.

According to police, Cruz was armed with a knife and could not be subdued with stun guns; he allegedly lunged at officers at the apartment threshold and Officer Steven Geertgens fired, fatally wounding him. A multiagency investigation followed, and a grand jury convened in November 2013 heard testimony from 24 witnesses, including civilians, mental health professionals, and the officers. The grand jury declined to indict, finding the use of force justified. Cruz’s family later filed a $21 million lawsuit against the city and the police department.

Are there witnesses or local professionals who can shed more light on Cruz’s behavior that afternoon or the response by officers?