The two Chautauqua County Sheriff deputies who have been essentially cleared in an officer-involved shooting in Mina are back on duty and have been for a while.

On June 18, 2025, shortly before 4 p.m. a deputy went to 2900 Mina French Creek Road in response to a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute. The deputy encountered 66-year-old Mark Bemis, who was in the garage, holding a shotgun. The deputy took out his service weapon and instructed Bemis to drop his weapon. Bemis fired a shot into the air, and the deputy took cover behind a tree.

For the next several minutes, the deputy – while behind the tree – repeatedly instructed Bemis to put the gun down. A second deputy arrived and took cover behind another tree. At one point, Bemis pointed his gun in the direction of the first deputy and refused commands from the deputy to lower it. The deputy and Bemis exchanged several rounds of gunfire, and the deputy was struck in his left hand. Both deputies then fired again, striking Bemis.

Bemis was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators recovered a shotgun at the scene.

The body cameras of both deputies were made public a month later.

Late last week, a preliminary report was issued by state Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation, where it determined there was not enough evidence to charge either deputy with a crime.

The final report has not been released and a timeline of when the final report will be released has not been announced.

In an interview with Sheriff Jim Quattrone, he said both deputies have been back for several months.

Both were off for a period of time, but Quattrone said they didn’t have to wait until the state finished its final report, since those can take several months or years to complete.

The deputy who was shot in the hand was off longer because he needed more time to recover from his injury.

“He’s got some impairments on one of the fingers. He’s been working through that. Hopefully he’ll have a full recovery,” Quattrone said.

Before that officer had returned, Quattrone said he went to physical therapy.

“He worked hard to get that hand back in a condition where he could pass our firearms training and our defensive tactics training. We put him through that testing so that there’s no limitations,” he said.

Quattrone said this is the first time in his tenure as sheriff that his deputies have been involved in an officer-involved shooting.

In 2018, a Fredonia patrol officer shot and killed an individual, while responding to a welfare check. The adult male had barricaded himself, was under the influence of cocaine and LSD, and had stabbed himself multiple times.

Body camera footage, released later, showed the individual holding a knife and charging at the officer, refusing to obey a dozen different warnings before being shot and killed.

In that situation, former county District Attorney Patrick Swanson determined the shooting was justified and in self defense.

Since 2021, the state Office of Special Investigation investigates all deaths caused by police officers or peace officers, including corrections officers.