By: Najla Alexander
NJ AG authorities announced that a state grand jury has voted not to file any criminal charges at the conclusion of its deliberations regarding the death of Hui Zhang, 33, of Pensacola, Florida, who was fatally shot by a Paterson police detective on October 10, 2022.
Officials stated Mr. Zhang’s death was investigated by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) and presented to New Jersey residents serving on the grand jury in accordance with the Independent Prosecutor Directive of 2019 (the “Directive”).
In July 2021, officials say, OPIA issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure these grand jury presentations are conducted in a neutral, objective manner, with appropriate transparency regarding the process, consistent with the Directive.
According to officials, the investigation included interviews of witnesses, photographs, a review of surveillance camera footage, ballistics testing from the New Jersey State Police, and autopsy results from the medical examiner.
This evidence, including the video of the incident, was presented to a state grand jury, authorities say.
After hearing the testimony and evidence, officials said, the grand jury concluded its deliberations on November 13, 2023, and voted “no bill,” meaning jurors concluded no criminal charges should be filed against Detective Victor Lora of the Paterson Police Department.
According to the investigation, on October 10, 2022, at 4:12 p.m., Mr. Zhang drove his vehicle into three other automobiles in the area of Straight and Van Houten streets in Paterson.
Mr. Zhang ran from the scene, officials say.
Officials said as he fled, he attempted to carjack multiple other vehicles, armed with what appeared to be a handgun, firing the pistol.
Authorities say Detective Lora pursued Mr. Zhang on foot.
According to officials, Detective Lora was on duty but on a personal errand and in plain clothes; because of his assignment, he was not equipped with a body-worn camera.
The detective encountered Mr. Zhang on Van Houten Street as Mr. Zhang was attempting to remove a civilian from the driver’s side of a vehicle, officials said.
Officials stated Detective Lora ordered Mr. Zhang to drop the apparent firearm he had in his hand.
According to multiple witnesses, Mr. Zhang pointed what appeared to be a handgun at Detective Lora.
In response, Detective Lora fired his weapon, striking Mr. Zhang, who was pronounced deceased at the scene at approximately 4:23 p.m. Mr. Zhang’s weapon was recovered, officials say.
The New Jersey State Police Ballistics Unit tested the weapon and determined it was a 9-mm P.A.K. Zoraki semiautomatic “blank” pistol (i.e., an imitation firearm capable of producing a muzzle flash and replicating the sound of a gunshot), authorities say.
Officials said footage from four surveillance cameras that depicted the events surrounding the shooting was previously released.