By: Richard L. Smith
The NJ State Attorney General's Office are investigating a deadly police encounter that happened early Saturday morning in Elizabeth.
Officers responded to reports of a domestic violence incident at 315 Amity Street. Officers arrived and found a male reportedly armed with a knife and reportedly attempting to stab a woman.
One of the officers, identified as Steven Lazo fired a round at Estiben Hurtado, 40, causing severe injuries.
He was rushed to University Hospital in Newark, where he died Sunday from his injuries.
According to Hurtado's family, he was involved in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend at the time, who reportedly called the police when things escalated.
Still, they said Hurtado posed no threat to police with the knife.
"Attorney General Directive 2019-4 implements a statutory requirement that the Attorney General's Office conduct the investigation of any 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, and which establishes clear standards and procedures for conducting such investigations."