Constantia, N.Y. — An Oswego County man shot and killed by a deputy swung a metal object at a trooper before he was killed in Constantia, the Attorney General’s Office said Tuesday.
At 12:09 p.m. Friday, deputies responded to 34 Cook Road in Constantia for a man “having a psychotic episode,” Lt. Andy Bucher, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said in a news release Saturday morning.
The man was identified by the Attorney General’s Office and family as Miles Dignean, 32, of Constantia. Police were there to serve him with an order of protection, AG officials said in a news release Tuesday.
A struggle between Dignean and members of the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office and state troopers started, officials said. Dignean swung a metal object at a trooper during the struggle, hitting a trooper in the head, officials said. The AG’s office and sheriff’s office have not said what the object was.
The trooper had a minor head injury, Bucher said.
As the struggle continued, a deputy fired their service weapon, hitting Dignean, officials said.
The shooting happened at 1 p.m. according to Oswego County 911 Center dispatches. A male was reported shot in the torso by an officer.
Dignean was taken to a Syracuse hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:28 p.m., Bucher said.
The dead man’s father, Alton Dignean, told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that police didn’t have to shoot his son.
“He was a great kid,” he said on Friday. “They shot my son and killed him. They had tasers right on them, they didn’t have to shoot him.”
An Oswego County Sheriff's Office deputy shot and killed Miles Winn Dignean, 32, of Constantia, during a struggle on Friday March 21, 2005. His father, Alton Dignean, put up this sign Friday.Greta Stuckey | gstuckey@syracuse.com
Since issuing a news release on Saturday the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office has refused to respond to calls and emails from Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard seeking more details about the fatal shooting.
The AG’s office announced an investigation into Dignean’s death on Tuesday.
The AG opens a full investigation of an incident if its assessment determines that an officer caused or may have caused the death of an individual.
The AG will either present evidence to a grand jury and seek an indictment or issue a public report explaining why the office chose not to present evidence to the grand jury, according to an annual report issued by the Office of Special Investigations.
More on fatal shooting of man by Oswego deputy
Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com.