Police in Fort Lee, New Jersey, fatally shot a woman who was experiencing a mental health crisis on Sunday, the state attorney general’s office said.
The woman has not been publicly identified. The incident is now under investigation.
Fort Lee Police Department officers responded to a home at about 1:25 a.m. Sunday after a man called 911, saying his sister was having a mental health crisis and needed to go to the hospital, according to the attorney general’s office. The man said she was holding a knife, the attorney general’s office said.
In the hallway outside the apartment, the man who called 911 spoke to a responding police officer, at which point the officer opened the door to the unit and saw two women inside, according to the attorney general’s office.
The two women, one of whom was believed to be the 911 caller’s sister, “told the officer not to come in and shut the door,” the attorney general’s office said.
The apartment building in Fort Lee, N.J., where police fatally shot a woman experiencing a mental health crisis on July 28, 2024.
WABC
The officer knocked on the door, asking the women to open it, but they allegedly did not comply, the office said. More officers then arrived and breached the door.
The sister then “approached the officers in the hallway,” at which point one officer “fired a single shot, striking the female in the chest,” the attorney general’s office said.
It is unclear if the woman was holding a knife at the time she approached the officers, the attorney general’s office said.
Officers then began rendering medical aid to the woman, who was then transported to the hospital, officials said.
The apartment building in Fort Lee, N.J., where police fatally shot a woman experiencing a mental health crisis on July 28, 2024.
WABC
She was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1:58 a.m.
The attorney general’s office said a knife was recovered at the scene.
All deaths that take place during law enforcement encounters are required to be investigated by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
The recent confirmation by the Attorney General of New Jersey that a woman was fatally shot by police during a mental health crisis has once again brought to light the complex and often tragic intersection of law enforcement and mental health issues.
The incident, which took place in a residential neighborhood in New Jersey, has sparked outrage and calls for greater accountability and transparency in how police officers respond to individuals experiencing mental health crises. According to reports, the woman had been behaving erratically and was armed with a knife when police arrived on the scene. Despite attempts to de-escalate the situation, the woman was ultimately shot and killed by officers.
This tragic event highlights the challenges that law enforcement officers face when responding to individuals in crisis, particularly those struggling with mental health issues. In many cases, police officers are not adequately trained to handle these situations and may resort to the use of force as a last resort. This can have devastating consequences, as evidenced by this recent incident.
In response to this tragedy, advocates for mental health reform are calling for increased training for police officers on how to effectively de-escalate situations involving individuals in crisis. They argue that a more compassionate and understanding approach is needed when dealing with individuals who may be experiencing a mental health episode.
Additionally, there are calls for greater collaboration between law enforcement agencies and mental health professionals to ensure that individuals in crisis receive the appropriate care and support they need. This could involve implementing crisis intervention teams that include mental health professionals who can respond alongside police officers to provide assistance and guidance in these situations.
Ultimately, the goal is to prevent future tragedies like the one that occurred in New Jersey and to ensure that individuals in crisis receive the help and support they need to avoid unnecessary use of force by law enforcement. By addressing the systemic issues that contribute to these incidents, we can work towards a more compassionate and effective approach to handling mental health crises in our communities.
