No charges for officers who fatally shot Brooklyn stabbing suspect in Woodbury
The shooting happened back in September 2024, after 37-year-old Ali Ali allegedly stabbed a 50-year-old laundromat employee in a rage-fueled attack in Brooklyn’s Bath Beach neighborhood and took off into the Hudson Valley.
Attorney General Letitia James' Office of Special Investigation (OSI) says the New York State Police officers who fatally shot a Brooklyn stabbing suspect in Woodbury will not face charges.
The shooting happened back in September 2024, after 37-year-old Ali Ali allegedly stabbed a 50-year-old laundromat employee in a rage-fueled attack in Brooklyn’s Bath Beach neighborhood and took off into the Hudson Valley.
On the day of the attack, laundromat employees told News 12 that Ali dropped off his laundry at around 7 a.m. When Ali returned that afternoon, he was furious that his laundry wasn’t ready. According to police, Ali then took out a knife, lunged over the counter and stabbed the woman in the face.
The laundromat’s owner gave News 12 photos of Ali and the knife he allegedly used in the attack.
NYSP then got word that Ali was wanted for the Brooklyn stabbing - and for stealing a 2021 Chevy Equinox at knifepoint in the early morning hours of Sept. 18.
The safety service OnStar alerted officers that Ali was traveling northbound on the New York State Thruway. Around 5:45 a.m., a trooper spotted the stolen Chevy near the town of Ramapo in Rockland County and began following it.
OnStar then disabled the Chevy near mile marker 49 in Woodbury. As it slowed down, the car collided with a tractor-trailer, struck a guardrail, and burst into flames.
Investigators say Ali got out of the car and took off into the woods barefoot.
A trail camera photographed him inside the wooded area of Highland Mills, wielding a knife.
Troopers eventually spotted Ali, who was still grasping the weapon. They ordered him to drop the knife, but he refused. He then turned away from the troopers and continued walking.
"We can resolve this peacefully, just stop, we really don't want to hurt you, just stop man. Ali please just stop man, we don't have to do this,” one trooper said.
Just before 2 p.m., an officer deployed a taser, and Ali fell to the ground but quickly got back up, according to investigators. He then walked toward the troopers, still holding the knife and ignoring repeated orders to stop.
Another trooper then fired his gun, striking Ali. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The AG’s Office of Special Investigation released bodycam footage of the shooting in December 2024.
News 12 learned that Ali had been arrested four times in NYC during the year leading up to the laundromat attack. The NYPD says he faced sex crime, robbery and criminal mischief charges.
