Mercer Times

The Attorney General’s Office is investigating a fatal shooting by a police officer that occurred Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Fort Lee, New Jersey. One woman sustained fatal injuries. Her identity is not being released at this time.

According to the preliminary investigation, at approximately 1:25 a.m., police officers from the Fort Lee Police Department responded to a home in "The Pinnacle" apartment complex on Main Street after a man called 911 reporting that his sister was having a mental health crisis and needed to go to the hospital. The caller stated that his sister was holding a knife.

Upon arrival, an officer spoke to the caller outside of the apartment unit in the building’s hallway. The officer then opened the apartment door and observed two females; one appearing to be the sister and another female. The females told the officer not to come in and shut the door. The officer stood outside knocking on the door asking the females to open it as additional officers arrived. After the occupants did not comply, officers breached the door. As the sister approached the officers in the hallway, one officer fired a single shot, striking her in the chest. Officers provided immediate medical aid. The female who was shot was transported to Englewood Hospital and pronounced deceased at approximately 1:58 a.m. A knife was recovered at the scene.

A 2019 law, N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107(a)(2), requires the Attorney General’s Office to conduct investigations of a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in their official capacity or while the decedent is in custody. It requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if evidence supports returning an indictment against the involved officer or officers.

The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.