Federal Inquiry Clears Deputy in Fatal Shooting of Two Teenagers

Syracuse, New York — An Onondaga County sheriff’s deputy will not face criminal charges in the fatal shooting of two Black teenagers in 2023, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James. The decision comes after an investigative report concluded that prosecutors could not disprove Deputy John Rosello’s belief that the car the teenagers were in posed an imminent threat to his safety.

During the incident, Deputy Rosello was responding to a call about individuals transferring items between two vehicles when he fatally shot 17-year-old Dhal Apet and 15-year-old Lueth Mo. Surveillance footage shows Rosello pinning one of the cars with his SUV before firing at the vehicle as it began to move away.

James’s office released a report stating that the deputy exited his vehicle and appeared to aim his firearm at the moving car, but no audio was captured that could clarify the timing of the shots fired. It remains undisclosed when Rosello began or stopped firing. Notably, he did not activate his body camera prior to the confrontation.

According to the report, after firing, Rosello radioed, “White car, tried to run me over, shots fired.” The two teenagers were later found slumped in a car over a mile from the scene, with Apet pronounced dead at the location, and Mo succumbed to his injuries shortly after.

The families of Apet and Mo have retained legal counsel, although they have yet to issue comments following the announcement of the Attorney General’s findings. The deputy remains on duty with the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office as investigations conclude.