In the early morning hours of September 3, 2025, a domestic disturbance call from a home on Rushmore Avenue in Carle Place, New York, ended in the death of 33-year-old James Rosano. Nassau County Police had been dispatched to the residence after a 911 call from Rosano's mother, who reported that her son was intoxicated, 'out of control,' and refusing to leave.
She also told the dispatcher that her son had a history of addiction and depression.
Upon their arrival at approximately 12:30 a.m., officers encountered Rosano outside the house, holding what they perceived to be a shotgun. According to police, Rosano made threats about dying at the hands of law enforcement. As one officer was speaking with Rosano's mother at the doorway, Rosano allegedly raised the weapon in the direction of the police. An officer reportedly pushed the mother out of the way to safety.
Police stated that they gave numerous verbal commands for Rosano to drop the weapon, but he did not comply and continued to advance toward them. One officer, fearing for his life and the lives of others, discharged his firearm, striking Rosano once in the chest. Rosano was transported to NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island in Mineola, where he was pronounced dead.
Subsequent investigation revealed that the weapon Rosano was holding was a Crossman Legacy 1000 BB gun, which police described as being nearly indistinguishable from a real shotgun in the dimly lit environment. The New York Attorney General's Office has opened an investigation into the fatal shooting, which is standard procedure for all officer-involved deaths in the state. The officer who fired the shot has not been publicly identified, and the investigation will determine whether the use of deadly force was justified. At the time of the incident, Rosano had recently been arrested and charged with third-degree assault for allegedly attacking his girlfriend, and had a history of prior arrests that included charges for burglary, arson, and assault.
