VINELAND, N.J. - The Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team is conducting an investigation into the circumstances of a fatal police-involved shooting of a man this afternoon in Vineland.

The shooting occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Just for Wheels Car, Truck and Van Rental at 2587 South Delsea Drive in Vineland. According to the preliminary investigation, the shooting occurred when detectives from the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office and Lower Township Police Department encountered the male subject as they were conducting a law enforcement operation at the scene. The subject, who is not being identified at this time pending notification of relatives, was shot by one of the detectives. He was taken by ambulance to Inspira Medical Center in Vineland, where he was pronounced dead. None of the detectives were injured.

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

In New Jersey, all investigations of police deadly force incidents are governed by the Attorney General's Independent Prosecutor Directive, issued in 2006 and strengthened in 2015, which establishes strict procedures for conducting such investigations. It requires the Attorney General to review all deadly force investigations, and in some cases conduct them as well. In this case, the investigation is being conducted directly by the Attorney General’s Shooting Response Team. The directive further provides that unless the undisputed facts indicate the use of force was justified under the law, the circumstances of the incident must ultimately be presented to a grand jury, composed of 23 civilians, for its independent review.

The Independent Prosecutor Directive is posted on the Attorney General’s website at the following link: http://www.nj.gov/oag/dcj/agguide/directives/2006-5_SRT_OIS.pdf

Further information about how officer-involved shootings are investigated in New Jersey under the directive is found at this link:
http://www.nj.gov/oag/independent-prosecutor/

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