AG's Office Probes Death at Woodbridge Gas Station During Police Encounter

The Attorney General’s Office is investigating a fatal incident involving a police encounter at a Route 9 gas station in Woodbridge Township on June 14, 2024.

The Attorney General’s Office has launched an investigation into a death that occurred during a police stop at a gas station on Route 9 North in Woodbridge Township on Friday, June 14, 2024.

According to initial reports, Woodbridge Police Department officers stopped a civilian van around 6:33 p.m. During the stop, they discovered that the male driver, the sole occupant of the van, had an active warrant from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) related to a criminal investigation in Nassau County, New York.

When officers asked the driver to exit the vehicle, he refused and moved to the rear compartment of the van, hiding behind a curtain. Officers then broke the van's windows and used OC spray to attempt to compel the man to exit. About 15 minutes later, officers reported hearing a noise resembling a firework. The Woodbridge Police Department’s Tactical Team, officers from Perth Amboy Police Department, and EMS were called to the scene. At approximately 8:30 p.m., the individual was found deceased inside the van from an apparent gunshot wound. A non-police-issued shotgun was recovered from the vehicle. Preliminary findings suggest no law enforcement officers discharged their weapons.

Under the 2019 law, N.J.S.A. 52:17B-107(a)(2), the Attorney General’s Office is mandated to investigate any deaths occurring during an encounter with law enforcement officers acting in their official capacity or while the decedent is in custody. The investigation into this incident remains ongoing, with no additional details available at this time.