The family of Shelton Ennis, 54, has filed a lawsuit alleging excessive force, civil rights violations and negligence following his death during an encounter with NYPD officers in Upper Manhattan. Coverage published Monday concerns the June 26, 2025 incident.
According to the New York attorney general’s investigation, officers approached Ennis near Riverside Park after seeing him discard an open beer can. They sought identification to issue a summons, but he provided a false name and date of birth. When officers said they would take him to a precinct to establish his identity, he ran.
An officer pursued Ennis and took him down from behind. Both fell forward, and Ennis became unresponsive. He was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead later that evening. The medical examiner attributed his death to a chest impact that caused a tear in the wall of his heart.
The lawsuit, reportedly filed September 22, challenges the officers’ conduct and alleges an unlawful stop. It also alleges that Ennis was handcuffed while unconscious before receiving emergency assistance. Those claims remain allegations.
The attorney general’s Office of Special Investigation separately concluded that criminal charges were not warranted. Its September 22 report said prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer committed a crime, following a review of footage, medical records and officer interviews.
The civil lawsuit seeks accountability despite that criminal investigation’s outcome. The NYPD’s internal review was still underway, according to Monday’s report.
