Video released last week by state Attorney General Letitia James of an officer-involved shooting in Mina earlier this year is graphic, disturbing and not for the faint of heart.

It’s also an unfortunately real depiction of police work here in Chautauqua County, particularly when officers are responding to domestic incidents that are all too prevalent here.

James on Friday released footage from two body-worn cameras that her office obtained as part of its ongoing investigation into the death of 66-year-old Mark Bemis, who died on June 18 following an encounter with members of the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office.

The Office of Special Investigation of the Attorney General’s Office released footage from body-worn cameras that deputies were equipped with during the incident.

On the afternoon of June 18, deputies responded to a house in Mina after receiving a 911 call reporting a domestic incident. Upon arrival, deputies encountered Bemis, who was standing outside the house by the open garage, holding a long gun. Bemis and the deputies exchanged gunfire, and Bemis was struck and killed. Deputies recovered a shotgun at the scene.

It’s one of the worst-case scenarios any police officer can encounter. It’s the worst-case scenario for a family. And it’s unfortunately far too common. Across Chautauqua County in 2023, the last year statistics are available, there were 982 total charges issued in domestic violence incidents, including 784 charges of simple assault, according to state Division of Criminal Justice Services statistics. That doesn’t include responses to domestic incidents that were resolved without formal charges being filed by responding officers. It’s not uncommon for a city like Jamestown to have officers responding to three to five such incidents a day.

What makes the June 18 incident noteworthy is that weapons were discharged after a confrontation resulting in the death of a man and injuries to a Sheriff’s Deputy. Domestic incidents – and the uncertainty that those situations bring for all involved – is all too common.