Today, the Attorney General’s Office released two 911 calls, video footage from two body-worn cameras, and police radio transmissions related to a fatal police-involved shooting that occurred on January 4 in Millville.
The decedent has been identified as Daniel Ackley, 33, of Millville.
The fatal shooting remains under investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).
The recordings are being released in response to an OPRA request and pursuant to policies established by the Attorney General’s Office in 2019 that are designed to promote the fair, impartial, and transparent investigation of fatal police encounters.
Investigators met today with Mr. Ackley’s family to review the recordings.
According to the preliminary investigation, the shooting occurred shortly after 9:30 p.m. on January 4 outside a residence on Burns Road in Millville.
The investigation revealed that officers of the Millville Police Department responded to 911 calls reporting an emergency at the residence. After officers arrived, they encountered Mr. Ackley holding a machete outside the house.
According to the investigation, as Mr. Ackley advanced toward the officers with the machete, Officer Timothy Rehmann discharged his service weapon, fatally wounding Mr. Ackley.
Officers and emergency medical personnel rendered first aid to Mr. Ackley, and he was airlifted to Cooper University Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at 10:56 p.m.
The recordings are posted online: Click here for recordings.
The investigation is ongoing, and no further information is being released at this time.
This investigation is being conducted pursuant to a state law enacted in January 2019 (P.L. 2019, c.1), which requires that the Attorney General’s Office conduct all investigations of a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody.
Separately, the Independent Prosecutor Directive, which was issued in December 2019, outlines a 10-step process for conducting these investigations.
The Directive establishes clear procedures governing such investigations to ensure that they are conducted in a full, impartial and transparent manner.
Under both state law and the Directive, when the entire investigation is complete, the case will be presented to a grand jury, typically consisting of 16 to 23 citizens, to make the ultimate decision regarding whether criminal charges will be filed.