What We Know
Jakub Dziemaszkiewicz: Bristol Police Shooting, What We Know
Video · 2:49 · Watch on YouTube
Jakub Dziemaszkiewicz, 43, of Bristol, Connecticut, died on Oct. 16, 2026 after a Bristol police officer shot him during a well-being check at his home. Connecticut's Inspector General released a preliminary report on Oct. 19. The investigation is ongoing, and the Inspector General has not said whether the use of force was justified. No charges have been filed. The officer is not named in this video.
What's confirmed
- Oct. 16, 2026, about 8:38 p.m.Bristol police received calls from two friends of Dziemaszkiewicz, who said they were concerned about his well-being and asked officers to check on him at his home. Inspector General preliminary report
- One caller told police he had numerous firearms and "would not go down without a fight." Inspector General; NBC Connecticut; WFSB
- Searching databases, officers found he had registered more than a dozen firearms. Inspector General; NBC Connecticut; WFSB
- A police drone flew over the property as officers were dispatched. Four officers parked down the street to approach on foot. Inspector General
- Chief Mark Morello said the plan was to gather information and wait for a trained negotiator before making contact. Bristol Edition, Oct. 20
- One officer went ahead of the other three to scout. According to the report, he came upon Dziemaszkiewicz near a tree line holding a rifle, told him several times to drop the weapon and show his hands, and fired three shots. Inspector General; NBC Connecticut; WFSB
- A rifle and a pistol were found next to him. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Inspector General
- The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the manner of death to be homicide (a medical term for a death at another person's hands; it is not a criminal charge and not a finding about the shooting). Chief Medical Examiner notice, Oct. 19
- The Inspector General released body camera and drone video with the report. The body camera footage has no audio. We do not show the shooting. NBC Connecticut
- CT Insider reports Dziemaszkiewicz was an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan. CT Insider, Oct. 18
What we don't know
- Whether the use of force was justified. The Inspector General has not made a determination.
- Toxicology results. The medical examiner's analysis is pending.
- How the officer's approach fit the plan to wait for a negotiator. The preliminary report does not address it.
What happens next
The Inspector General's investigation is ongoing; a final report will address the use of force. We will update this write-up when it is released.
Chapters
- 0:00Jakub Dziemaszkiewicz: the welfare call
- 0:53Bristol police plan: drone, four officers
- 1:16Bristol IG report: what it says
- 2:07Bristol shooting: what's still open
Sources
- Conn. Office of the Inspector General, Preliminary Status Report (Oct. 19, 2026) Primary recordportal.ct.gov/dcj/press-releases/inspector-general/10192026bristolpreliminaryreport
- NBC Connecticut (Oct. 19, 2026) Reportingnbcconnecticut.com/news/local/inspector-general-report-details-moments-before-bristol-officer-fatally-shot-man/3786378/
- WFSB (Oct. 19, 2026) Reportingwfsb.com/2026/10/19/inspector-general-releases-details-fatal-bristol-officer-involved-shooting/
- Bristol Edition (Oct. 20, 2026) Reportingbristoledition.org/2026/10/20/police-chief-morello-addresses-preliminary-report-on-woodbridge-shooting/
- CT Insider via Yahoo (Oct. 18, 2026) Reportingyahoo.com/news/us/articles/bristol-man-shot-police-u-150948312.html
The record · as of Oct. 26, 2026
How we know
Primary records are court and agency documents; reporting is news coverage we checked against them. How we report.
What happens next
Verified timeline
- 2026-10-16About 8:38 p.m. Friday, two friends called Bristol police asking for a well-being check on Jakub Dziemaszkiewicz, 43, at his Woodbridge Rd home (Chippens Hill). One caller said he had firearms and 'would not go down without a fight.' (Call time; first WFSB report said ~8:30 p.m.)NBC Connecticut; WFSB 10/19; Bristol Edition 10/20
- 2026-10-16Police found via databases he had more than a dozen registered firearms; a drone was flown over the property; four officers were sent, parked down the street and planned to approach on foot.NBC Connecticut; WFSB 10/19; Bristol Edition 10/20
- 2026-10-16Chief Mark Morello: officers stayed back to gather information; the plan 'included awaiting the arrival of a trained negotiator before trying to make contact.'Bristol Edition 10/20 (direct quote); Hartford Courant (per research notes)
- 2026-10-16Per the IG preliminary report, one officer (unnamed in our content) went ahead of the others, met Dziemaszkiewicz near a tree line holding a rifle, repeatedly told him to drop it and show his hands, and fired three shots. He died at the scene; a rifle and a Glock pistol were found beside him.NBC Connecticut; WFSB 10/19; Bristol Edition 10/20; IG report
- 2026-10-17Bristol police announced an officer fatally shot a person during an overnight wellness check on Woodbridge Rd; state Inspector General's office to investigate and release updates. Victim not yet identified.WFSB 10/17; FOX61
- 2026-10-18Victim identified as Jakub Dziemaszkiewicz, 43, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan.CT Insider via Yahoo; Hartford Courant (per research notes)
- 2026-10-19IG report: officers arrived in four cruisers; one officer went ahead to scout; found man near tree line holding a rifle; told several times to drop weapon and show hands; three shots; rifle and Glock pistol beside him.IG report p.1
- 2026-10-19Connecticut Office of the Inspector General released a preliminary report plus body-cam (no audio) and drone video. Investigation ongoing; no determination on use of force; no charges.IG page; NBC Connecticut; WFSB 10/19
- 2026-10-19Medical examiner ruled manner of death homicide (legal term for death at another's hands, not a charge), cause gunshot wounds. Toxicology still pending (WFSB). Wound locations deliberately not used in our script.NBC Connecticut; WFSB 10/19
- 2026-10-20As of 2026-10-20 no charges and no IG finding on whether the shooting was justified.WFSB 10/19; NBC Connecticut; Bristol Edition 10/20
Also in our research file
- CT Office of the Inspector General: preliminary status report, Bristol PD use of deadly force (10/19/2026) Primary recordConn. Office of the Inspector General · Oct. 19, 2026
- OIG YouTube: body-worn camera clip (21s, no audio), uploaded 2026-10-19 Primary recordyoutu.be
- OIG YouTube: Bristol PD drone video (65s), uploaded 2026-10-19 Primary recordyoutu.be
- Bristol officer fatally shoots person during overnight wellness check, police say ReportingWFSB · Oct. 17, 2026
- CT Patch: body cam, drone footage released (10/20) Reportingpatch.com
- Officer involved shooting on Woodbridge Road in Bristol ReportingFOX61
Updates and corrections
Map: U.S. Census TIGER (public domain). Report pages shown with redactions by Undercurrent (officer's name, address, race wording, wound locations).
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