By: Richard L. Smith
Today, the Attorney General’s Office unveiled footage from body cameras worn by four police officers during a fatal police incident on May 3, 2023, in Newark.
The civilian involved in the shooting, Mr. Everett Rand, 29, of Newark, tragically lost his life.
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) is currently investigating the deadly encounter.
The release of the footage aligns with 2019 policies set by the Attorney General’s Office, aimed at ensuring investigations into fatal police encounters are conducted transparently and impartially.
Before the public release, the family of Mr. Rand was given the opportunity to view the recordings.
From initial findings, on the evening of May 3, around 8:34 p.m., officers rushed to a residence on Johnson Avenue in Newark following a 911 call reporting a shooting.
Officers arriving at the scene spotted a man, later identified as Mr. Rand, exiting the said residence.
They observed him discarding an object in a nearby dumpster. A search of the dumpster later revealed a semi-automatic handgun with a large-capacity magazine.
A foot chase ensued, with several officers pursuing Mr. Rand. Meanwhile, other officers entered the Johnson Avenue home.
The chase culminated on a sidewalk where Mr. Rand was confronted by two officers from the Newark Police Department, Officer Steven Ferreira and Officer Ryan Castro.
Both officers discharged their firearms, leading to the fatal shooting of Mr. Rand. A handgun, not associated with the police, was found close to where Mr. Rand layed.
Inside the residence, officers discovered two shooting victims: a 27-year-old Newark man who had been fatally shot and an 8-year-old boy killed from gunfire.
Tragically, after being rushed to University Hospital, the young boy was pronounced dead.
The released footage is available for public viewing HERE.