In the early hours of a March morning, the events that would lead to the death of James J. Ellis, a 44-year-old male, began to unfold. The situation started around 2:45 a.m. when the Orleans County Sheriff's Office received a call about a domestic disturbance in the Town of Shelby. Friends of Ellis's ex-girlfriend reported that he was at her residence and was armed with a handgun.
It was alleged that he had put the barrel of the gun to her head while trying to find out the location of her new boyfriend.
Law enforcement, including an Orleans County Sheriff's Deputy and a New York State Trooper, responded to the call. By the time they arrived, Ellis had already fled the scene in his vehicle. The officers were given a description of the vehicle and began a search. They soon spotted Ellis's vehicle traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed on Route 31A in the Town of Albion. The officers attempted to keep up, but lost sight of the vehicle due to its speed.
Continuing their search, the officers eventually located Ellis's vehicle on Route 31A in the Town of Clarendon. He had crashed into a telephone pole and his vehicle was in a resident's front yard. As Deputy James DeFilipps exited his patrol car to investigate, he was met with gunfire from a wooded area near the crash site where Ellis was hiding. Ellis was armed with a. 45 caliber handgun, which was later determined to have been recently stolen.
Deputy DeFilipps was struck twice in the abdomen, but his bulletproof vest absorbed the impact, saving him from serious injury. Despite being hit, the deputy was able to return fire, striking Ellis. The exchange of gunfire was brief, lasting only a few seconds. James Ellis was fatally wounded at the scene. Deputy DeFilipps was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital for his minor injuries and was subsequently released.
Following the incident, an investigation was conducted by the Orleans County Sheriff's Office and the New York State Police. The case was presented to a grand jury, which ultimately cleared Deputy James DeFilipps of any wrongdoing, determining that the use of deadly force was justified under the circumstances. It was also revealed that James J. Ellis had a criminal record, which included prior felony charges and that he was on probation at the time of his death. For his actions, Deputy DeFilipps was later honored as the 'Deputy of the Year' by the New York State Sheriff's Association.
