By: Richard L. Smith
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has released body camera footage of a Newark police encounter that resulted in the non-fatal shooting of an adult male on August 12, 2024.
According to a statement released by the Attorney General's Office, the footage is part of an ongoing investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).
The video release follows policies established in 2019 to ensure transparent and impartial investigations into police use of force incidents.
Investigators previously met with the injured man’s family to review the recordings before making them public.
The incident occurred at approximately 8:34 p.m. on Clinton Place near Hawthorne Avenue in Newark. Newark Police Officer Alexander Ferreira and his partner spotted a Porsche Macan, which was later confirmed as stolen.
They positioned their patrol car in front of the Porsche and approached the vehicle, finding an adult male seated in the passenger seat.
The officers ordered the man to exit the vehicle, handcuffed him, and moved him to their patrol car.
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While they were attending to the passenger, another individual left a nearby convenience store, entered the Porsche, and moved into the driver’s seat.
As the officers attempted to remove the new occupant, the individual ignored commands to stop and put the car in reverse, prompting a struggle.
Officer Ferreira’s partner was forced to disengage as the vehicle reversed. According to the statement, the Porsche then accelerated forward, at which point Officer Ferreira discharged two rounds from his firearm, striking the driver.
The Porsche collided with the patrol car before accelerating across the intersection, crashing into a brick building, and hitting two parked, unoccupied vehicles.
Medical aid was immediately provided to the driver, who was transported to University Hospital with life-threatening injuries.
According to the statement from the Attorney General’s Office, the individual is expected to survive.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the footage is intended to promote transparency as authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.