Man shot by Buffalo police on Hertel Avenue indicted

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A man who was recently shot by Buffalo police has been indicted on four counts of menacing a police officer.

On March 14, shortly after 4:30 a.m., four police officers responded to an apartment on Hertel Avenue near Shoshone after receiving a call about an alleged threat.

The caller, Dominique Thomas, 30, told police that someone was threatening to kill him, according to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.

When police arrived at the scene, they say Thomas was standing in the stairwell, holding a large knife. The scene eventually moved out toward the street after officers left the building in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.

“The defendant is accused of intentionally placing the officers in reasonable fear of physical injury or death by displaying the knife and refusing multiple orders by police to drop the weapon,” the District Attorney’s Office said.

Watch: Buffalo police share body cam video from Hertel shooting

“When the defendant allegedly ran toward the officers with the knife in hand, he was subsequently shot multiple times by the two of the police officers,” the District Attorney’s Office said.

Following this incident, Thomas was taken to ECMC, where he continues to receive treatment. None of the officers were injured.

The officers who discharged their weapons were later identified as Phillip Edwards, who has been with the police department since 2015, and Michael Ramos, who joined in 2020. Edwards and Ramos were not armed with stun guns at the time of the incident.

Since the incident, they have been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.

DA: ‘Crystal clear’ officers justified in Hertel Ave. shooting

After his initial arraignment, Thomas underwent forensic examinations by two doctors. He was found to be competent to proceed. Another psychiatric evaluation was requested and granted on Friday.

If convicted, Thomas could spend up to seven years in prison. He’s scheduled to return to court on June 15.

While this is ongoing, Thomas is also scheduled to be back in court for another matter before then. The separate charge he faces is third-degree menacing.

In August 2020, Thomas allegedly threatened to kill his doctor after receiving treatment at ECMC. Regarding that case, he’ll be back in court on May 9 for a pre-trial conference.

Thomas is being held without bail in relation to the March incident.