Body camera footage released by the Hampden District Attorney's Office, shows the moments a suspect suffering from mental illness stabbed an officer in the face a neck, furthermore forcing an officer involved shooting.

On January 9, 2022, at 8:33 a.m., the dispatch for the Springfield Police Department received a 911 call from “Victim 1”. The victim reported that he was in the area of Cass Street and Liberty Street in Springfield. He alleged that while he was walking an unknown individual approached him from behind and asked, “you good?”, before attempting to stab the victim in the neck three times. Victim 1 further alleged that during the attempted stabbing, the blade broke off the assailant’s knife.

At 8:45 a.m., E2 notified dispatch they had a possible suspect matching the description in the area of 110 Franklin Street. This location is around the corner from 92 Genesee Street. Officers Roberts and Falcon, in their written statements, reported that they were at the intersection of Liberty Street and Genesee Street when they observed Mr. Taylor walking on Genesee Street towards Liberty Street. Officers noted that as soon as Mr. Taylor saw their cruiser, he turned and began walking towards Franklin Street. Officer Roberts pulled the cruiser up next to Mr. Taylor on Franklin Street and both officers exited the cruiser. At the time the officers exited their vehicle, based on the information that had been provided to them and their own observations of Mr. Taylor, they had ample reasonable suspicion to perform an investigative stop.

BWC camera footage shows Mr. Taylor running away from police as both officers shout at him to “drop it”. As Officer Roberts chases behind Mr. Taylor, Officer Falcon comes from behind the rear of the cruiser and attempts to grab onto Mr. Taylor’s left side and arm with his hands. Officer Falcon had not un-holstered any weapons at that time. Officer Roberts’s BWC then shows Mr. Taylor lunge and thrust with a sharp object in his right hand into the face and neck area of Officer Falcon, stabbing him. This stab causes Officer Falcon to fall to the ground, as he bleeds from the wound.5 Officer Roberts’s BWC and Ring camera footage show that after the stabbing of Officer Falcon, Mr. Taylor turns back towards Officer Roberts and brandishes a blade in his right hand. Officer Roberts backs up until Mr. Taylor begins running around the corner onto Genesee Street, heading towards Liberty Street. Officer Roberts then runs past Officer Falcon and asks if he is ok. Officer Falcon responded, “Yo, I just got stabbed in the face”. Officer Falcon gets back on his feet with his gun drawn. Officer Roberts continues to pursue Mr. Taylor as he runs past 92 Genesee Street towards the Liberty Street intersection. As Mr. Taylor nears the intersection, he turns around and begins approaching Officers who are now in front of 92 Genesee Street. Both Officers had drawn their department-issued firearms and pointed them at Mr. Taylor. Both officers loudly and repeatedly order Mr. Taylor to drop the weapon as he approaches.

As Mr. Taylor approached the Officers, he was on the sidewalk closest to 92 Genesee Street. He then crossed the street in a diagonal fashion while still moving in the direction of officers. As he does this, BWC and Ring video show Officers Falcon and Roberts backpedaling with their guns drawn as they attempt to maintain distance from Mr. Taylor. Throughout this encounter, officers clearly and continuously order Mr. Taylor to drop the weapon.7 In the view of the various cameras, it is also apparent that both officers attempted to keep distance from Mr. Taylor when he faces them and ultimately charged at Officer Falcon. As Mr. Taylor charged, he raised his right hand to head level in a manner consistent with preparing for a downwards stabbing motion and runs directly toward Officer Falcon. 8 Officer Falcon then discharged his service weapon twice at close distance.

Mr. Taylor was struck by both shots and pitched forward to the ground. Other responding officers applied pressure to the wound on Officer Falcon’s face. Officer Falcon was bleeding heavily and complained of numbness. Officers shortly thereafter transported Officer Falcon to Baystate Medical Center in a police cruiser. Officer Roberts noted in his statement that as he performed first aid, Mr. Taylor stopped breathing and had no pulse. Officer Roberts continued to perform chest compressions and utilized an AED on Mr. Taylor until an ambulance arrived. At that time, Mr. Taylor was transported to Baystate Medical Center by ambulance. Mr. Taylor was pronounced dead at 9:12 a.m.