The Attorney General’s Office is investigating a fatal police encounter after a civilian died during a foot pursuit in Newark on Thursday, January 5, 2023.
The identity of the dead man has not been released but authorities say the victim was running away from police officers when he fell down and died.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, a preliminary investigation revealed that Newark police officers were chasing the individual on foot in connection with a criminal investigation.
During the pursuit, the man collapsed on an embankment along Route 280 westbound, in the area of mile marker 12.8.
He was transported to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:41 p.m.
A 2019 law, P.L. 2019, c. 1, 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 the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody.
It requires that all such investigations be presented to a grand jury to determine if the evidence supports the return of an indictment against the officer or officers involved.
The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.