Expert on police use of force describes how the investigation into a fatal shooting involving police is likely to turn out

BUFFALO, NY (WIVB) – A retired police officer and expert on police use of force reacts to bodycam video and describes how he believes the investigation into a fatal shooting on Kensington Avenue Wednesday will turn out.

Jerry Rodriguez is a retired police captain who also studies police tactics and use of force. He expresses concern for the child in the incident, defends the officer who fired the shots, and speaks about a gun later found in the vehicle driven by 25-year-old Daevon Roberts.

The bodycam footage released on Thursday shows the difficult circumstances under which the police officers worked. The police conducted a traffic stop on Kensington Avenue on Wednesday morning. Officer Ronald Ammerman initially stopped Roberts for speeding and tinted windows.

After determining that the driver’s license Roberts presented to police was invalid, officers opened the vehicle’s door. Roberts then drove off while Officer Ammerman held on to the car. After driving for several blocks at speeds approaching 60 miles per hour, Roberts apparently kicked Ammerman, who fired several shots, striking Roberts, causing both to fall from the car.

“You saw in the video that it went from 0 to 100 in very quick succession,” said Buffalo Police Chief Joseph Gramaglia. “I think the officer did what he had to do to survive.”

A 6-year-old boy was also sitting in the passenger seat of the car, but was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident. He ultimately suffered no injuries.

Rodriguez says the fact that a six-year-old was in the car could be an important factor in the investigation.

“I’m concerned that the child was in close proximity to the gunfire,” Rodriguez said. “I noticed that the driver jumps out of the vehicle as he starts shooting at the suspect. But what happens? The vehicle keeps rolling, driverless, with the 6-year-old driver in the seat.”

Rodriguez also told News 4 that it is statewide administrative policy not to shoot at or from a moving vehicle except under special circumstances. He believes this was one of those situations because it escalated so quickly.

“Almost any police officer in that position would probably have the same fear if they had to sit there and stop a vehicle traveling at 60 miles per hour, and that’s why I believe the officer fired,” Rodriguez said.

According to Buffalo police, a loaded handgun was found under the driver’s seat of the car Roberts was driving. Rodriguez says the loaded gun, which was in the car at the time of the incident, will not play a role in the Attorney General’s investigation because it is unclear whether or not it belonged to Roberts.

“The gun in the vehicle has no bearing on the reasons for the shooting unless the officer knew about it before he pulled the trigger,” Rodriguez said. “What plays a very obvious role in this is that the officer was obviously in fear for his life in this situation.”

Rodriguez says the investigation will be extremely thorough to determine what state of mind the driver may have been in that caused him to drive off. They will also take a close look at the actions of the two officers to determine whether or not their actions were justified.

Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. Previously, she worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station to WIVB. See more of her work here.