Shirley Emehelu Executive Assistant Attorney General | New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety
Shirley Emehelu Executive Assistant Attorney General | New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety
The Attorney General's Office has released body-worn camera footage from a police-involved shooting that occurred on August 12, 2024, in Newark, New Jersey. The incident involved Newark Police Officer Alexander Ferreira and his partner during an encounter with an adult male.
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) is investigating the incident. The release of the recordings aligns with policies established by the Attorney General’s Office in 2019 to ensure fair and transparent investigations into police use of deadly force. Representatives of the individual's family have already reviewed the footage.
According to the investigation, at around 8:34 p.m., officers noticed a Porsche Macan parked on Clinton Place near Hawthorne Avenue. Determining it was stolen, they positioned their patrol vehicle in front of it for further investigation. The officers approached the only occupant, seated in the front passenger seat, who complied with orders to exit the vehicle. Officer Ferreira handcuffed him and escorted him to their patrol car.
While at the patrol car, another individual exited a nearby convenience store, entered the Porsche through its passenger side door, and moved into the driver’s seat. Officers attempted to remove this new individual from the driver’s seat but he did not comply. Officer Ferreira secured the initial passenger in their patrol car before returning to assist his partner.
Officer Ferreira's partner struggled with the driver as he reversed the vehicle. Despite warnings from Officer Ferreira to "back up," his partner disengaged just as Officer Ferreira fired two shots at the accelerating vehicle, striking its driver. The Porsche collided with a patrol car before crashing into a building and two parked vehicles.
Medical aid was provided to the driver who was then taken to University Hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries; he is expected to survive.
Under N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107(a)(2), any death occurring during an encounter with law enforcement must be investigated by the Attorney General’s Office and presented to a grand jury for potential indictment decisions against involved officers.
The investigation remains ongoing without further details available at this time.
Further information about investigations under New Jersey's Independent Prosecutor Directive can be found on the Attorney General’s website.
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