On a humid Friday evening in Staten Island’s Eltingville neighborhood, a series of tense moments outside a beloved local diner ended in tragedy and sparked a fresh round of scrutiny for the New York Police Department. On August 15, 2025, just after 8 p.m., patrons at Andrews Diner off Hylan Boulevard alerted authorities to a man with what appeared to be a gun lurking behind the restaurant. Within minutes, the situation escalated from wary phone calls to a fatal confrontation involving two off-duty NYPD officers and a Staten Island man with a troubled past.
According to Assistant Chief Melissa Eger, who addressed reporters at a late-night press conference, the first warning came through 911. "A call reported a man with a gun at the back of a diner," she said, as relayed by AP and CTV News. The officers—whose names have not been released—were off duty but nearby when they were tipped off to the unfolding situation. Surveillance footage reviewed by authorities shows the officers approaching the suspect, later identified as 44-year-old Jesse Campbell, a resident of Great Kills, just a block away from the diner on William Avenue.
What happened next, as described by Eger and corroborated by multiple outlets including Gothamist and CBS New York, was a rapid escalation. The officers identified themselves and issued repeated commands for Campbell to drop his weapon. "The officers gave multiple verbal commands for the male to remove his hands from the firearm and to put the firearm down," Eger explained in her briefing. Despite these commands, Campbell did not comply. Instead, surveillance video reportedly shows him raising the weapon and pointing it directly at the officers.
"Our officers were confronted with a dangerous and unpredictable situation, and they attempted to de-escalate the situation multiple times," Eger emphasized, as cited by CBS New York and AP. In that split second, one of the officers fired multiple shots, striking Campbell. The officers immediately moved in to provide life-saving measures, performing CPR and other interventions until emergency medical services arrived. Campbell was then rushed to Staten Island University Hospital North, where he was pronounced dead.
It was only after the chaos subsided that authorities confirmed what the officers could not have known in the heat of the moment: the weapon Campbell brandished was not a real firearm but a realistic imitation, specifically a BB gun. The object’s resemblance to a deadly weapon, especially in the dim light and tense circumstances, was enough to trigger the officers’ response. The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division is now reviewing the shooting, with surveillance video and witness statements forming the backbone of their inquiry.
For residents of Eltingville and the wider Staten Island community, the incident was both shocking and unsettling. Andrews Diner is a neighborhood fixture, and the notion of violence—let alone a fatal shooting—playing out so close to home rattled many. The swift police response, while praised by some as necessary under the circumstances, has also reignited debates about use of force, officer training, and the dangers posed by imitation firearms.
Jesse Campbell’s background quickly became a focal point in media coverage. As reported by SILive.com and Patch, Campbell had a lengthy and checkered history with law enforcement, including at least seven prior arrests for offenses ranging from narcotics to larceny. Some outlets, including ABC 7 Eyewitness News, described his past as “violent,” though the specifics of his interactions with police were not immediately available. The NYPD confirmed Campbell’s criminal record but withheld further details pending the ongoing investigation.
The officers involved, both off duty at the time, have not been publicly identified. According to Gothamist, neither officer has been placed under formal suspension, but both are cooperating fully with the Force Investigation Division’s review. The NYPD stated that the shooting was captured on surveillance cameras in the area, and that video evidence is currently under close examination.
For many in law enforcement, the incident underscores the unpredictable and often perilous nature of police work—even when off duty. Assistant Chief Eger’s comments at the press conference reflected this sentiment: "Our officers were confronted with a dangerous and unpredictable situation, and they attempted to de-escalate the situation multiple times." She stressed that, from the officers’ perspective, the threat appeared very real and immediate. The imitation firearm, later identified as a BB gun, was described as virtually indistinguishable from a lethal weapon in the moment.
Yet, for critics and concerned citizens, the shooting raises tough questions about how officers assess threats, the protocols for engaging suspects with apparent weapons, and the broader issue of imitation firearms in public spaces. In recent years, New York and other major cities have seen a rise in incidents involving fake guns—often BB or airsoft pistols—leading to tragic outcomes when police respond under the assumption that the weapons are real.
Community leaders and advocacy groups have called for renewed efforts to educate the public about the dangers of carrying or displaying imitation firearms, especially in situations where police might be called. Some have also urged lawmakers to consider stricter regulations on the sale and design of BB guns and similar items to make them more easily distinguishable from actual firearms.
The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division will determine whether the officers’ actions were in line with department policy and New York state law. As part of standard procedure, the division will review all available evidence, including surveillance footage, radio transmissions, and witness interviews. The findings will be made public once the investigation is complete, though such reviews can take weeks or even months.
As the investigation unfolds, the Staten Island community remains on edge, grappling with the aftermath of a fatal encounter that, for many, feels both inevitable and deeply tragic given the circumstances. The story of Jesse Campbell—a man with a troubled past, whose final moments were captured on camera—serves as a stark reminder of the split-second decisions officers must make, and the lasting consequences those decisions can have for families, neighborhoods, and the city as a whole.
While the official review continues, one thing is clear: the events of August 15 have left an indelible mark on Eltingville, reigniting conversations about policing, public safety, and the line between perception and reality when lives are on the line.
