by Morgan Leason, New Jersey Monitor
A state grand jury has declined to charge a Fort Lee police officer who killed a woman last year during what her family described as a mental health episode.
The grand jury’s decision comes nearly one full year after Officer Tony Pickens shot and killed Victoria Lee, 25, in her apartment. Lee’s killing renewed calls for local authorities to respond to some emergency calls with mental health specialists instead of police officers.
“Why do we need armed officers at the doors of people who are trying to seek what’s essentially medical care, at all?” said Amber Reed, co-executive director of AAPI Montclair.
Reed said the grand jury’s decision not to charge Pickens illustrates a systematic lack of accountability for police violence that disproportionately harms communities of color.
“To see this family that did everything right and be treated at every step of this horrible tragedy in this way is not going to have a positive effect on our community’s willingness to seek help when they need it,” Reed said.
Authorities said Lee’s brother called 911 seeking help on July 28, 2024, and asked for “just an ambulance.” After being told police officers would arrive too, Lee tried to cancel the call, but the dispatcher told him police would have to respond because he reported that his sister was holding a knife, authorities said.
Police body camera footage from that day shows officers breaking down the door of Lee’s apartment, Lee appearing at the door holding a large water jug, officers yelling at her to drop the knife, and then one officer firing a single shot in her chest.
Last year, Lee’s family said she was not holding a knife when officers forced their way into the apartment.
Shortly after Lee’s killing, Attorney General Matthew Platkin issued a new directive that requires police to involve a supervisor when responding to barricaded individuals and mandates the presence of mental health professionals and less-lethal weaponry. The directive also encourages officers to wait instead of forcing their way in when responding to a barricaded person.