On August 20, 2018, Detective James Olsen shot and paralyzed Ellazar Williams, an unarmed Black man, during a foot chase. Olsen claimed Williams brandished a weapon and charged at him, but surveillance footage suggested otherwise. A knife was found nearby, but its connection to Williams was disputed. Olsen was cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury and retired on January 4, 2019. Williams filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Olsen and the City of Albany, alleging excessive force.
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