By: Richard L. Smith
Video footage documenting the death of a Toms River man during an encounter with law enforcement has been released as part of an ongoing investigation, according to a statement from the New Jersey Attorney General's Office.
The footage, tied to the April 19, 2024, incident, captures the fatal arrest of John Cassidy, 47, in Toms River, New Jersey.
The investigation is being conducted by the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) as part of its commitment to ensuring transparency and fairness in cases involving civilian deaths during police interactions.
Cassidy’s family was given the opportunity to review the recordings before their release to the public. Click HERE for recordings.
According to the preliminary findings, the incident began around 1:00 p.m. when Island Heights Police Officers Peter Muscarella, Dominique D’Amico-Violante, and Lt. Paul Rutledge attempted to arrest Cassidy at a gas station on Route 37 near West End Avenue.
Cassidy, who had active warrants, ignored instructions to remain outside his vehicle and re-entered it despite orders from the officers.
For approximately 25 minutes, police officers repeatedly attempted to persuade Cassidy to exit the vehicle.
When these efforts failed, officers from the Toms River Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office assisted in physically removing him from the vehicle and restraining him on the ground in handcuffs.
Shortly after being restrained, Cassidy experienced a medical episode.
Officers on the scene provided medical assistance until emergency personnel arrived to take over.
Cassidy was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where he was pronounced dead at 2:25 p.m.
The release of the footage aligns with policies implemented by the Attorney General's Office in 2019 to enhance public trust through impartial and transparent investigations of fatal encounters involving police.
The investigation into Cassidy’s death remains ongoing.
