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Investigation closed into fatal shooting of Warren man

The Ontario County, N.Y., Sheriff’s Office has closed its investigation in the events that led to the fatal shooting of a Warren man.

Brandon M. Zurkan, 31, was fatally shot by police in Canandaigua, N.Y., early Wednesday, March 1, following a chase in which Zurkan reportedly fired several shots out of his vehicle.

Police said the chase ended when Zurkan’s vehicle became disabled after hitting a curb. At that point, police said Zurkan got out of the car with a gun in his hand and started walking toward them. Police said they tried to de-escalate the situation — telling Zurkan to drop the gun for about eight minutes before he raised it in their direction. Four officers fired at Zurkan. He was pronounced dead at a Canandaigua hospital minutes later.

On Friday, Sheriff David Cirencione announced that the investigation into the case had been closed and issued a release regarding the results of that investigation.

Cirencione said his office “followed numerous leads” in the case — including “interviewing dozens of witnesses, a forensic examination of Mr. Zurkan’s cell phone, and a search of his vehicle.”

He said Zurkan had a .45-caliber handgun during the incident and that a loaded 20-gauge shotgun was found in the vehicle along with a .45-caliber magazine containing four live rounds, and additional ammunition for both the handgun and shotgun. Cierencione said Zurkan legally purchased both firearms in Pennsylvania.

Five spent .45-caliber shell casings consistent with ammunition in Zurkan’s firearm were found on a street in the area where a deputy following Zurkan said he had heard shots being fired, according to the report.

There were several prescription medications found in the vehicle — all in containers prescribed to Zurkan, according to the report. Toxicology report results were not available Tuesday and were being handled by the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The report indicates that Zurkan was convicted on a controlled substance charge in Warren County in 2011.

According to Cirencione, it remains unknown why Zurkan was in Ontario County. He said Zurkan had applied for jobs in the region the week before the incident, but had not received any offers.

The New York State Attorney General’s Office is also investigating the incident.

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