Officer who shot man with BB gun identified
Daniel Celiberti killed Todd Novick on Dec. 24
The New York Attorney General’s Office has identified Daniel Celiberti as the Rochester police officer who fatally shot Todd Novick as he fled police with a BB gun in his hand.
Celiberti shot Novick as he ran away on Murray Street on Christmas Eve, a split second after Novick took the BB gun from his pocket and dropped it. A notable inclusion in the fuller cut of video footage released by the AG’s office on Feb. 6 was Novick’s comments to police after he was shot.
“I was trying to put it down,” he said while on the ground. “I’m sorry.”
City records show Celiberti was hired by RPD in 2012. The only disciplinary matters in his personnel file were related to unsafe driving, according to a Democrat and Chronicle database of police disciplinary records.
He has been placed on administrative assignment, Bello said. The AG’s Office is still investigating the fatal shooting.
Novick’s brother-in-law, Justin Wright, said it was “unnerving” that the footage RPD originally released cut out before Novick apologized and tried to explain himself.
“I’m not sure what the rationale behind that is,” he said in a text message. “I wish the RPD was more transparent from the beginning and more plain with the public — I think we can all handle that and I think we are owed that from our government and city.
“To me that’s the most disappointing part. Bad things happen, and no one is perfect, but I think it’s fair to say that it doesn’t look good after all is said and done.”
Stopped on street, then shot as he ran
Novick was killed the morning of Christmas Eve. Celiberti was responding to a call from a concerned resident, and was speaking with Novick and two other people on Murray Street off Lyell Avenue when Novick began to run, as seen in the video footage.
The officer gave chase. As Novick was running, he pulled a realistic-looking Crosman C11 BB gun out of his pocket.
The officer yelled for him to drop the gun, then quickly fired five times at the back of the fleeing man, according to a careful frame-by-frame viewing of the body-worn footage released by officials. It’s unclear at this time exactly where Novick was struck by police bullets. Autopsy results have not been released.
He was then handcuffed as he was lying on the ground.
At the time, a city press release said: “One officer fired his handgun at the suspect, striking him at least once in the upper body.”
“Officers immediately began rendering medical aide (sic) until relieved by the Rochester Fire Department and AMR ambulance personnel. The suspect, a male city resident in his 40’s, was transported to Strong Hospital, and pronounced deceased,” said the press release.
However, the video shows that the first thing officers did after shooting Todd Novick was to handcuff him, then check the handcuffs twice. The released video does not show the time period when officers claim first aid was given.
The video does not clearly show when Novick died and it does not show arrival of EMS.
Unclear video release
The new video footage released by the AG’s Office Tuesday initially included a title screen with the name “Officer Celiberti” on it, but did not say how or if the officer was linked to the shooting.
The AG’s Office took down the video Wednesday morning, Feb. 7, and replaced it with one with no name.
RPD Capt. Greg Bello said the police were not going to identify the officer. “The Attorney General has updated both the video and text on their website and it no longer includes any possible Officer’s names (sic),” he said in an email.
Bello said RPD had concerns for the officers’ safety.
But when the Democrat and Chronicle contacted the AG’s Office again about the officer’s identity, the office took down the anonymous video. It then confirmed that Celiberti shot Novick and updated the webpage to include Celiberti’s full name. and then:
As this story published online, RPD sent out a press release confirming Celiberti’s involvement in the shooting.
Who was Todd Novick?
“I was trying to put it down. I’m sorry.”
Todd Novick In comments to police after being shot
Novick was unhoused when he died. His long presence in northwest Rochester made him a well-known figure to both residents and police in the area, said his brother, Loren Novick, in late December.
“Everyone in Rochester knew my brother,” he said.
Novick was good at fixing things and worked on and off as a mechanic, according to his brother-in-law, Justin Wright. He was married but had no children.
Novick also struggled with drug addiction for most of his 46 years. That trouble led in turn to a lengthy list of charges related to theft, usually stealing things from cars. “He was a normal guy who just got a really bad hand in life,” Wright said.
The family has spoken with a lawyer and intends to sue the city over Todd Novick’s death, Loren Novick said.