Family demands answers after fatal police shooting in Newark
NEWARK, NJ - A fatal officer-involved shooting in Newark remains under investigation as the victim’s family and community members demand answers.
The backstory:
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office confirms a Newark police officer fatally shot one man and wounded another during an encounter Monday afternoon near Ross Street and Evergreen Avenue.
The shooting happened shortly after 1 p.m. on Monday, in broad daylight, outside a neighborhood bodega.
According to the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, officers encountered several civilians in the area when one officer fired his weapon, striking two people.
Both were taken to a nearby hospital, where one man later died.
The second victim remains hospitalized.
No officers were injured.
What led to the Newark shooting?
Fatal officer-involved shooting in Newark
An officer-involved shooting turned fatal in Newark earlier today, Jan. 19, according to New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin. FOX 5 NY's Kendall Green has the latest.
Why you should care:
State law requires the Attorney General’s Office to investigate all fatal encounters involving police.
Officials say the case will ultimately be presented to a grand jury to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
What's next:
No additional details have been released, and authorities say more information may come as early as Wednesday.
Mayor calls shooting a ‘heartbreaking tragedy’
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka called the shooting a "heartbreaking tragedy," saying the city is following strict guidelines under the state’s consent decree while the Attorney General’s Office conducts its investigation.
Meanwhile, the victim’s family is sharing a very different account of what happened.
Wali Bey
The man killed has been identified by his sister as 43-year-old Wali Bey, a lifelong Newark resident and father of two children, ages 2 and 18. Family members say Bey was sitting inside a white minivan with others when undercover officers approached.
What the family is saying:
According to the victim’s sister and witnesses who spoke with FOX 5 NY, the officers were in plain clothes, wearing masks, and arrived in unmarked vehicles. The family says the men inside the minivan did not realize they were police. As the vehicle began to pull away, at least one officer opened fire, striking Bey through the windshield.
On Monday night, dozens of people gathered at the shooting site for a candlelight vigil, releasing balloons and calling for transparency. About 75 community members turned out to support the family and remember Bey.
The other side:
No police officials have commented directly on the family’s claims, citing the ongoing Attorney General investigation.
A protest is also expected Tuesday evening outside Newark Police Department’s 5th Precinct on Clinton Avenue, as calls for accountability continue to grow.
The Attorney General’s Office says it has no further updates to share tonight but hopes to release additional information soon.
The Source: This is based on information from Newark police and reporting by FOX 5 NY's Lida Schmidt and Kendall Green.