Bemis died on June 18, 2025, after an encounter with two Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office deputies who responded to a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute at his home.
Upon arrival, the first deputy encountered Bemis in the garage holding a shotgun. The deputy drew his service weapon and ordered Bemis to drop the gun. Bemis fired a shot into the air, prompting the deputy to take cover behind a tree.
For several minutes, the deputy repeatedly instructed Bemis to lower the weapon while a second deputy arrived and took cover behind another tree. At one point, Bemis pointed his gun toward the first deputy and refused commands to lower it.
The deputy and Bemis exchanged gunfire, during which the deputy was struck in his left hand. Both deputies then fired again, striking Bemis. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and investigators recovered a shotgun.
The incident was captured on the deputies’ body-worn cameras.
Under New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, the Office of Special Investigation assesses incidents where police or peace officers may have caused a person’s death. If the assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, the office conducts a full investigation.
The office concluded that a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officers’ use of deadly physical force was justified under the law.
A final Investigation Report will follow at a later date.