A state grand jury has indicted Woodbridge Police Sergeant Marco Bruno on a charge of first-degree aggravated manslaughter in connection with the May 29, 2025, fatal shooting of Aamir Allen, according to an April 7 announcement from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
The case draws attention to law enforcement’s use of deadly force and the procedures for investigating such incidents. The indictment follows a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding Allen’s death after an encounter with police in Woodbridge Township.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said, “Every day, law enforcement bears the burden and responsibility of keeping the people of New Jersey safe. My office is fully committed to prosecuting this charge and ensuring that law enforcement only uses deadly force when lawful and necessary.”
The investigation was conducted by the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) under policies established by a state directive requiring independent review whenever someone dies during an encounter with law enforcement. Evidence presented included witness interviews, reviews of body-worn camera footage, surveillance video, radio transmissions, photographs, autopsy results, and recordings from 911 calls. Representatives for Allen’s family were given an opportunity to view these materials before their public release.
According to investigators, officers responded just after 1:00 a.m. on May 29 following reports that Allen had assaulted someone with a baseball bat and struck occupied vehicles. Officers repeatedly ordered him to drop his weapon as he walked away; Bruno arrived at the scene shortly after these events were reported over police radio. After issuing commands for Allen to drop the bat outside a closed convenience store—and when those commands were not followed—Bruno fired six shots from his service weapon. Allen died later that morning at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
The Attorney General’s Office is responsible for conducting investigations into deaths occurring during encounters with law enforcement officers or while individuals are in custody according to its official website. It also holds statewide authority over legal standards and public safety matters according to its official website.
The agency extends its services across all counties and municipalities according to its official website, providing oversight through legal representation, crime lab support, victim advocacy programs, consumer protection initiatives according to its official website, as well as broader regulatory responsibilities focused on justice throughout New Jersey according to its official website.
First-degree aggravated manslaughter carries a possible sentence ranging from ten up to thirty years in prison under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act along with fines up to $200,000 if convicted. The charge remains an accusation; Bruno is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
