An Atlantic County Grand Jury reviewed the evidence Tuesday of the March 2014 police-involved shooting death in Atlantic City of a Williamstown man, and declined to bring criminal indictments against the police officers involved, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced.
On March 27, 2014 at 12:31 p.m., Pleasantville Police responded to two 9-1-1 calls, reporting that there was a man with a gun at the La Escondida II Restaurant, 701 Black Horse Pike.
Antoquan T. Watson, 27, of Williamstown, went to the bar area of the establishment and ordered and consumed two beers. According to witnesses, he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol when patrons observed that Watson had a handgun.
Watson did not point the handgun at anyone, nor did he verbally threaten to use it against anyone. Witnesses report that he had the gun pointed upward toward the ceiling. (Allegations confirmed by video captured inside the restaurant)
Once Watson exited the restaurant, witnesses called the Pleasantville Police Department, reported their location and reported that they had seen a person in possession of a gun.
Upon arrival, police approached a black SUV in the restaurant’s parking lot. This vehicle, a black Saturn Vue, was registered to Antoquan Watson. The Pleasantville officer approached this vehicle while holding a department- issued shotgun. Watson, who was seated in the driver’s seat of this vehicle, ignored the officer’s directions to roll down the window and exit the car. Instead, Watson put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking lot on to the eastbound portion of the Black Horse Pike. No shots were fired at this time, by either Watson or the Pleasantville officer.
The Pleasantville officer along with other police vehicles from the Pleasantville Police Department joined in this pursuit down Black Horse Pike through Pleasantville and the West Atlantic City section of Egg Harbor Township into Atlantic City, reaching speeds between 50 and 85 miles per hour and running numerous red lights during the pursuit.
As Watson drove his vehicle through that intersection ramming two civilian vehicles followed by firing at least one round at the officers in the area of Albany Avenue at approximately 12:46 p.m.
The pursuit finally ended at Missouri and Atlantic Avenues in Atlantic City, where Watson exited his vehicle with a handgun.
A total of seven officers fired their weapons at Watson. One Pleasantville officer fired four rounds from a shotgun as well as his department-issued handgun. The other six officers fired only their department-issued handguns. During interviews conducted in the course of the investigation, a number of these officers stated that they feared Mr. Watson was wearing body armor, due to the fact that he appeared to have sustained a number of gunshot wounds, but was able to remain standing.
Gunfire was exchanged between the suspect and police at that location, and the suspect was killed. Police units from Pleasantville, Egg Harbor Township, and Atlantic City had been involved in the pursuit.
Emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the scene at 12:48 p.m. They arrived at the scene at 12:49 p.m. Mr. Watson was pronounced dead at 2:20 pm.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office investigated the incident, as mandated by New Jersey Attorney General Directive.
Yesterday, First Assistant Prosecutor Diane Ruberton presented the case to an Atlantic County Grand Jury. The Grand Jury declined to indict any police officers for their actions.