DA’s report on police killing of Miguel Estrella is being edited. Findings won’t be public until his family is briefed

PITTSFIELD — The Berkshire District Attorney’s Office is putting final touches on its investigation into the fatal shooting of Miguel Estrella, a city resident, by a Pittsfield police officer.

The report’s findings will be shared first with Estrella’s family during the first week of August, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office said Wednesday.

Though the report is essentially complete, the department is not yet saying whether or not its inquiry aligns with the Pittsfield Police Department’s conclusion that Officer Nicholas Sondrini acted appropriately when he shot Estrella, 22, on March 25 outside the man’s apartment building on Onota Street.

After the report is presented to family, it will be made public at a date not yet set by DA’s office.

Andrew McKeever, the spokesperson, said media will be invited to a press event and be provided with “a comprehensive report on the findings.”

The office previously said the Estrella family would receive the report’s findings in July.

“We’re still preparing to present all this to the family and we’ll be fully transparent with the public about all the findings as soon as we tie up these last pieces,” McKeever said.

Asked whether the investigatory report was completed, McKeever said the report is in the “final stages of editing.”

A spokesperson for the Estrella family confirmed Wednesday they have not yet learned the details of the DA’s investigation.

Also to be released publicly by the office are exhibits from the investigation, to include “all the forensics from the state police investigation,” 911 calls, photos collected on scene and police reports, McKeever said.

The report will contain a finding of fact and legal conclusions. The DA’s office conducts criminal investigations, and is tasked with determining whether the officer broke any laws.

A review conducted by the Pittsfield police Force Investigation Team cleared Sondrini of misconduct and said he followed “use of force guidelines” because Estrella posed what they said was an immediate threat when he reportedly came at an officer “at a fast pace” with a raised knife.

Estrella’s family has said it was eagerly awaiting the results of the DA’s office investigation, which was conducted in concert with the office’s internal state police unit.

Sondrini shot and killed Estrella after police were called twice to Estrella’s address, at 279 Onota St., to reports of a man in distress.