Attorney General releases body camera footage in fatal police shooting in Saratoga County

The Attorney General’s Office has released body-cam footage as part of an investigation into the death of a man police shot in September in Saratoga County earlier this year.

James Dellea, of Hillsdale, was shot and killed by police on Sept. 11. The incident started around 4 p.m., when police were looking for Dellea because he had threatened to harm himself.

He was in the parking lot of the Albany-Saratoga Speedway on Route 9 in Malta. He took off and led police on a low-speed chase at Bethel Saratoga Church. After refusing multiple commands to get out of the car, he pointed a long gun at troopers and an off-duty officer fatally shot him.

State law requires the Attorney General’s Office investigate all civilian deaths at the hands of police.

The redacted video shows Trooper Cody Branam pull up and get out of the car. He asks Dellea how it is going and tells him to step out of the car. Dellea shakes his head no and takes off. He is traveling 50 mph, according to a caption of the video. 

After the redaction, the video picks up in the parking lot of the church. A few portions of the video are replayed and slowed down/zoomed in at various points.

The troopers shout “Put your hands up!” “Get out of the car!” multiple times.

Police said Dellea is on the phone at this time.

Dellea can be seen punching his fist on the driver’s side window. The troopers keep telling to get out of the car.

One trooper says there’s a gun on the passenger side. One of the troopers says they should break the window.

A video from the other trooper’s body camera shows Dellea then break the glass of the passenger side window with the long gun.

He holds it and the off-duty officer, identified as Brian Rudolph, fires three shots in quick succession.

Dellea was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dellea, 48, was a well-known area stock car driver.

His sister previously told NewsChannel 13’s Dan Levy that Dellea had experienced personal tragedies during the past three years. He lost both parents, two siblings and his day-old grandson.